February was Children’s Dental Health Month, so the SCO team planned visits to Riverdale Elementary School and Harding Academy to teach students about the importance of good dental hygiene. Unfortunately, with all the crazy snow and freezing rain Memphis received in February, we didn’t actually get to finish those school visits until March! Even worse, I didn’t finish this blog until the middle of April… (I mean, it’s the thought that counts, right?)
So, please allow me to share a quick story. Ever since I was young, I knew I wanted to be a doctor. I later switched my focus to dentistry because 1). I didn’t want to be on call 2). I knew a few dentists at church and they seemed really happy and 3). I didn’t want to be on call. The idea to study orthodontics came much later, but every one of my career decisions materialized only after asking dozens of professionals who were willing to share their time and opinions with me. Unlike some kids, I was fortunate to be surrounded by so many knowledgeable adults. I believe that every child should be educated on basic dental health, and as you will read later in this post, I believe that every child can grow up to be a dentist, lawyer, or engineer if they want to. But, first, they need to know what it takes to get there. That’s why events like Career Days are so important. But, first, let’s talk school visits, shall we?
Anna presented on dental hygiene, gave away some goodies, and showed some videos including our own “Braces Off.” The kids loved it!
Memphis Area School Visits
We met with 3rd through 6th graders to talk about good brushing and flossing habits, gave demonstrations, and played dental trivia. For example, Q: What do children in Taiwan do when they lose a baby tooth? A: They throw it on the roof! Awesome, right? Although, leaving teeth under your pillow nets you money, so it’s a tough call. Either way, the school visits were a ton of fun for the students and for us!
Special shout-out to Ms. Williams at Riverdale Elementary School (aka the best guidance counselor ever!) for helping us schedule around all the snow days!
We also provided care packages to all the students to help them follow through with what they learned at home. Our Embrace Memphis backpacks were a big hit!
Germantown High School Career Day
Dr. Fagala was also invited to attend Germantown High School’s Career Day in February. We met with Junior and Senior students to discuss careers in the dental field (though many were shocked that it takes 11 years of school to become an orthodontist!) We were also honored to participate in this event and it was fun to see some familiar faces, including ½ of the Feruglio twins! (Olivia, if you are keeping score).
Not all the students were interested in orthodontics as a profession, but they absolutely loved the large teeth models. Hey, it’s a start!
We love getting out of the office to support our Memphis and Germantown communities! If you have any community service opportunities, please contact us at 901.878.3569. To see what else we’ve been up to lately, follow us on
Facebook and
Twitter!
