SANTA BARBARA — The Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics (SBNC) is celebrating National Children’s Dental Health Month with the launch of the ToothHero app, a game which will help kids fight plaque! Parents can bring their children to Franklin Elementary School, located at 1111 East Mason Street, Santa Barbara, on February 21st at 5:30 pm to educate them on the importance of good oral hygiene and receive a free ToothHero app! Families who attend the ToothHero launch will watch a play on oral health, enjoy a FREE dinner and one lucky kid will win a brand new bike. The free apps and the event have been generously sponsored by the Santa Barbara Foundation and the Frances & Benjamin Benenson Foundation Inc.
Tooth decay is the “single most common chronic disease of childhood,” according to the America Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Despite this, the perception that oral health is in some way less important than and separate from general health persists. Forty-two percent of children aged 2 to 11 have had caries or cavities in their primary teeth, according to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. These can be due to factors of poor dental care such as not brushing their teeth enough, poor nutrition, or consuming food or drinks that contain high sugars.
“Good oral health is very important because it keeps the rest of your body healthy. It is impossible to have a healthy body without good oral health,” said Dr. Domenic Caluori, Chief Dental Officer of the Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics.
SBNC will also partner with Community Action Commission to educate their families throughout the month of February on the important of oral health. On Tuesday, February 6, 2018, the Board of Supervisors of Santa Barbara County recognized February 2018 as National Children’s Dental Health Month. Santa Barbara County Supervisor Joan Hartmann presented Ed Tran of the Public Health Department, Mary Ellen Rehse with Santa Barbara County Education Office, Teressa Johnes with First 5 and Dr. Dominic Caluori with Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics accepted the proclamation.
Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics (SBNC) is an independent, non-profit, Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) dedicated to providing provide high quality, comprehensive, affordable healthcare to all people, regardless of their ability to pay, in an environment that fosters respect, compassion and dignity. SBNC is comprised of two dental clinics, four medical clinics, and offers behavioral health services that serve over 21,000 people in our community.