Sam's Club Hosts Free Oral Care & Health Screening Event

BENTONVILLE, Ark., April 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- There is more to a smile than Americans might think. U.S. consumers may be surprised to learn that those suffering from serious gum disease are 40 percent more likely to have another chronic condition, as recent studies associate oral health issues as identifiers of both diabetes and heart disease.¹ To raise awareness about the connection between oral health and chronic disease, Sam's Club hosts free oral care tips and vital health screenings on Saturday, April 13 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The screenings are free and available to the public at all Sam's Club locations with a pharmacy (564).

The free health screening² event features tests valued at up to $100, including:

• Non-invasive oral health questionnaires  
• Dental tablets
• Glucose
• Total cholesterol
• Blood pressure
• Body mass index (BMI)
• Vision

Certified dental hygiene students provided by Colgate and certified technicians from Carmen Ingle & Associates will administer written questionnaires to screening participants about dental habits as well as offer counsel and oral health tips at the special Sam's Club event.  Free dental tablets contain a harmless colored dye that is attracted to plaque on teeth, revealing areas of the mouth that patients may miss while brushing and flossing.

"Every year, approximately 100 million Americans fail to visit a dentist³," said Jill Turner-Mitchael, senior vice president, Sam's Club Health and Wellness. "Free oral health and wellness screenings at Sam's Club provide useful reminders that oral health issues may be symptoms of more serious chronic diseases. We are committed to offering our members and communities an affordable, accessible foundation for understanding how they can take ownership of their health."

With more than 2.3 million free health and wellness screenings provided in U.S. Sam's Club locations since 2010, Sam's Club will continue to serve communities in 2013 by hosting free screenings every second Saturday of the month.² In 2012, Sam's Club Pharmacy program was ranked highest in customer satisfaction among mass merchandiser pharmacies in the J.D. Power and Associates 2012 U.S. Pharmacy Study.⁴ Sam's Club Pharmacies will thank members for this honor with an in-club celebration from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday, April 13.

Sam's Club also features oral health tips in the March/April 2013 issue of Healthy Living Made Simple Magazine, including information about preventing a variety of health issues through good oral care as well as tips for healthy-looking teeth and gums. With the highest circulation of any health-focused publication at 8 million, Healthy Living Made Simple is available at Sam's Club Pharmacy, Member Service counters and online at SamsClub.com/healthyliving. Interested consumers can visit this website or text SCREEN to 72671 to receive monthly reminders about health screenings at neighboring Sam's Club locations.⁵

About Sam's Club^®
Sam's Club^®, a division of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT), is the nation's eighth largest retailer and a leading membership warehouse club offering superior products and services to more than 47 million members in clubs across the U.S., as well as in Brazil, China and Mexico. Members save an average of 34 percent over traditional retailers. To learn more about Savings Made Simple^®, visit SamsClub.com, and look for Sam's Club on Twitter and Facebook.

¹ WebMD. "Oral Health: The Mouth-Body Connection." http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/features/oral-health-the-mouth-body-connection.

² Limited quantities available. Screening types and quantities may vary by state and club. Screenings are available only at clubs with a pharmacy (564 locations). Membership not required. All tests are performed by licensed professionals. Glucose and vision tests are not available in every state.

³ American Dental Association. "Dentists: Doctors of Oral Health." http://www.ada.org/4504.aspx. 

⁴ Sam's Club received the highest numerical score among mass merchandiser pharmacies in the proprietary J.D. Power and Associates 2012 U.S. Pharmacy Study(SM). Study is based on 12,764 total responses and measures 11 mass merchandiser pharmacies. Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of consumers surveyed July-August 2012. Experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com.

⁵ Standard message/data rates may apply. Reply STOP to end or HELP for assistance. Visit m.SamsClub.com/termsofuse for mobile terms and conditions.

SOURCE Sam’s Club