Healthy Smiles Program
Eastern Area Links
In these tough economic times, many children and families are not covered by health or dental insurance and often abandon routine preventative dental care. According to the US Surgeon General’s Office, over 52 million schools hours are lost each year due to oral health related issues reports. If we can help children and families to understand and take control of their dental health, we can help reduce those lost school hours and improve overall health.
The Links Incorporated, Eastern Area, has established a partnership with Colgate-Palmolive’s Bright Smiles, Bright Futures (BSBF). BSBF is an oral health education program aimed at increasing the awareness of children’s oral health.
Since it’s founding in 1991, Colgate has exposed 10 million children and their families annually to positive oral health education messages and/or provided free dental screening for children ages 1 through 12. This success continues with our partnership and allows Link chapters in the Eastern Area the opportunity to impact their communities by:
- Helping families become knowledgeable on how oral health affects the body.
- Providing children with FREE education and screenings.
- Providing families with dental referrals to dentists willing to provide services for free and/or at nominal costs.
- Helping families become knowledgeable about how diet affects dental health.
If your chapter is interested in bringing the Bright Smiles, Bright Futures Dental Van to your community or if you would like to learn more on how the program works, please feel free to contact Link Clarice Taylor, Eastern Area Healthy Smiles Chair at chtaylor97@aol.com or clarice_taylor@colpal.com
If your chapter has completed an event with the Bright Smiles, Bright Futures Dental Van, please send pictures and feedback to chtaylor97@aol.com or clarice_taylor@colpal.com
| Link Clarice Taylor |
| Chair, Healthy Smiles Initiative |
