A trip to the dentist can be an uneasy experience for children. However, throw in a clown, free snacks and prizes, and you quickly see smiles replace apprehension. This was the case last March at Ferris State University's annual Children's Dental Health Fair, sponsored by Pi Delta Alpha and the Big Rapids Dental Study Club.

More than 100 children and parents attended the fair, which was held in March at the Dental Clinic on campus. "This has been one of the most successful fairs we've ever had," said first-year dental hygiene student Nicole Louzon, president of Pi Delta Alpha, a professional and social student dental organization. "We'll definitely be doing this for years to come."

Students Teach Good Dental Hygiene
In addition to free dental examinations for children, the fair offered an array of educational displays designed to teach kids (and adults) about proper dental health care and new treatments in the industry. Two dozen table displays offered information on everything from powered toothbrushes to dental care for your pet. "The students research and create the displays as part of the requirements of the Community Dentistry class," stated Sandra Burns, associate professor of Dental Hygiene. The focus of the class is to teach students how to educate the public about dentistry. "Today, there are many more aspects to the traditional role of a dental hygienist than just cleaning teeth. Educating the community about dental health has become a major part of a hygienist's job responsibilities," said Burns.

Molar Mascot Adds to the Fun
Dynamite the Clown, the Tooth Fairy, and "Tuffy the Tooth," a friendly mascot in the form of a large molar, were big hits with the kids at the fair. The parents, of course, appreciated some of the other benefits. It was Kathy Heroux's third year attending the fair, with daughters McKayla, 9, Hayley, 20 months, and Alexia, 4 months.

"We come here every year because the students provide a lot of information about tooth care, and they teach the kids how to brush their teeth," said Heroux, a Big Rapids resident. While Alexia was too young to directly benefit from the fair, McKayla and Hayley both received free dental exams. McKayla particularly liked the costumed characters, and she even learned that you have to brush your tongue, as well as your teeth.

Members of the Big Rapids Dental Study Club, who are dentists interested in continuing education about dentistry, performed the exams. "We do this because it's a lot of fun," said Dr. Bill Beattie, a dentist from the Canadian Lakes area. "The study club takes part in the fair to help the community and Ferris State University," he stated as he showed Louzon how to tell the difference between adult teeth and baby teeth. Other local dentists volunteering their services were Drs. John Monroe, Rick Stern and Erik Perroud, all of Big Rapids.

A Community Effort
The Dental Study Club donated a bicycle as the grand prize of a free raffle drawing, and local merchants donated a wide variety of children's toys and sports items that were raffled off on an hourly basis. In addition, prizes were awarded for the winners of a coloring contest held among area elementary students, whose artwork was displayed at the event.

According to Deb Horlack, a part-time clinical instructor, the fair is of great benefit to both the community and the students. "The dental fair provides a screening service, educational information and fun for the community," she said. "In turn, the students get the chance to have contact with the community while working together on activities that simulate what they will be doing when they are out working in the field." The event was coordinated by Becky Hearth, a pre-dental student from Holt, Michigan, and Kristy Evans, a second-year dental hygiene student from Leroy, Michigan.

Learning to Love the Dentist
Other Ferris students took advantage of the fair for the benefit of their own children. Wendy Martin, a first-year dental hygiene student from Howard City, brought along her two-year-old daughter, Megan. "Megan had never been to the dentist before, so I wanted her to come here first to lessen the fear. The more that children are exposed to the dentist, the better they will feel about getting teeth examined," Martin said. "The dentist was great with her and made her feel comfortable."

Making kids feel comfortable, teaching people about dental health and providing a little bit of fun was certainly the focus of this year's dental health fair. The smiles were an added bonus.