DenTek Helps Bring Healthy Smiles to Children in West Virginia

MARYVILLE, Tenn., April 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- There's no shortage of scenic landscapes and lush forests in the Mountain State, but what some parts of West Virginia and the Appalachian Region are lacking is proper oral care.

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According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, oral health conditions in parts of Appalachia are considered severe. That's why DenTek, a national leader in oral health care, is bringing its "DenTek Smiles" campaign to West Virginia to brighten, whiten and enlighten the mouths of area kids.  

To kick off the program, DenTek partnered with a local mobile dental unit and donated 5,000 floss picks to elementary students in Jackson and Kanawha Counties.

As a partner with the Wirt County Mobile Dental Unit, DenTek accompanied the unit at two cleaning events in Jackson County on April 23. While dental hygienists conducted cleanings and exams at Kenna Elementary and Fairplain Elementary, representatives from DenTek visited classrooms to educate students about the importance of oral care and distribute activity books with floss picks.

"At DenTek, we are very passionate about encouraging oral health care, especially in children," said Charlotte Havely, vice president of marketing for DenTek. "Statistics show oral care is an unmet need in this area and, as a company, we want to do all we can to help."

In addition to the students visited at the scheduled cleanings, DenTek donated floss picks to every elementary school in Jackson County. Moreover, the company sent 2,500 activity books and floss picks to the neighboring school system in Kanawha County. These picks will be distributed through the county's six school dental clinics.

"Our dental clinics are run primarily on donations, so these supplies from DenTek are very much appreciated and will be distributed by our school dental hygienists to the students. We want to thank DenTek for everything it's doing for the oral care of West Virginia's students," said Brenda Issac, Lead School Nurse, Kanawha County Schools.

The American Dental Association recommends that children use floss as soon as they have two teeth that touch. The ADA also suggests parents supervise beginning flossers until they master their technique.

About DenTek Smiles
DenTek Smiles is a program developed to help brighten, whiten and enlighten the community by sharing good oral health habits. Every year, DenTek donates more than 4 million samples through community outreach initiatives to create healthy and happy smiles across the nation.

About DenTek
DenTek is a national leader in oral care products found in retail stores nationwide, such as Walmart, Target, Walgreens, CVS, Kroger and others. DenTek focuses on providing innovative consumer oral care products with a product base that includes floss picks, interdental brush cleaners, dental guards for nighttime bruxism, disposable dental picks, braces care, breath remedies and dental repair. Visit www.dentek.com or call (800) 433-6835 for more information.

Media Contact: Andrea Lindsley
(615) 780-3315
[email protected]

SOURCE DenTek