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April 25, 2024

"TEETH-ON-THE-GO" PROGRAM TEACHES LITTLE ONES

IMPORTANCE OF ORAL HEALTH

80 Kits Sent to Education and Health Professionals Throughout State

February 12, 2004 - LISLE, Ill. During National Children's Dental Health Month and throughout the year, Delta Dental Plan of Illinois (DDPIL) is focusing on children's smiles with its "Teeth-on-the-Go" bookbag program.

 During National Children's Dental Health Month and throughout the year, Delta Dental Plan of Illinois (DDPIL) is focusing on children's smiles with its "Teeth-on-the-Go" bookbag program.

Teeth-on-the-Go is a fun health program based on curriculum requirements that provides elementary school teachers and oral health professionals with a variety of learning tools to use to educate children on the importance of oral health and show them how to care for their teeth. This "bookbag" program, geared to children in kindergarten through 2nd grade, incorporates a variety of visual and audio learning tools, including books, sing-along tapes, and oversized teeth and a toothbrush, that show children how they can have healthy teeth and gums. It also includes the importance of teeth to a child's overall health, the impact of nutrition on teeth and proper oral hygiene and toothbrushing techniques.

"While our main focus is administering dental benefit plans, we feel strongly about promoting the importance of good oral health and have a serious commitment to improving oral health education and access to care," said Dr. Robert E. Dennison, President and Chief Executive Officer of DDPIL. "Since we are headquartered and do business in Illinois, we are particularly concerned about the people in our own backyard. We're using Teeth-on-the-Go to focus on children's smiles in Illinois. It's never too early to teach the importance of oral health. Education is key to help establish healthy habits and hopefully, prevent more serious problems."

DDPIL has distributed 80 bookbags to teachers and oral health professionals throughout the state. The bookbags are free to these professionals and are offered on a first-requested, first-served basis.

The Peoria District Dental Society is one group that received a Teeth-on-the-Go bookbag. In fact, after a DDPIL representative presented Teeth-on-the-Go to the Society, the group requested 30 bookbags to distribute to educational and health professionals they work with.

"The Teeth-on-the-Go bookbag is a valuable tool in helping us spread the word about good oral health around the community," said Georgana L. Donnelly, RDH and Executive Secretary of the Peoria District Dental Society. "We have sent the kits to many groups in Peoria including a local health education center, local schools, Illinois Central College dental hygiene school, Girl Scout and Brownie troops, day cares, nurses and dentists in the community. We're making sure that children throughout the community are educated about the importance of oral health and how to care for their teeth."

DDPIL is a not-for-profit dental service corporation specializing in providing comprehensive, easy-to-use and cost-effective benefits to over one million employees and family members in more than 3,000 employee groups throughout Illinois. Based in Lisle, Ill., DDPIL offers an array of extensive nationwide network-based managed fee-for-service, PPO and dental HMO plans