The smiles at Heatly are even brighter after a visit from dental assistant Carly Gutto of “Where Smiles Grow” and Clyde the Clydesdale. The dynamic duo visited Heatly last week, sharing their knowledge about dental health with Pre-K, kindergarten and first grade students. Clyde is a member of the “Where Smiles Grow” team and travels around the Capital Region with his colleagues teaching children about oral hygiene. On Tuesday’s visit to Heatly, Clyde was accompanied by Miss Carly and they were excited to speak with students about the importance of dental health.
Brushing teeth twice a day, flossing often and going to the dentist are just some of the dental tips and tricks Miss Carly and Clyde shared with our young learners. They also talked with students about eating healthy foods, especially ones that are good for their teeth by playing a game. Miss Carly and Clyde named different foods and students had to give a “thumbs up” or “thumbs down,” indicating if the food was healthy or unhealthy for their teeth. Students really enjoyed this activity and were able to learn about the type of food that will keep their teeth strong and healthy.
The most important part of Miss Carly’s and Clyde’s visit was explaining to students what they can expect when they go to the dentist. This included showing students tools a dentist uses, therefore easing their fears. Miss Carly and Clyde brought a bib, toothbrush, toothpaste and a few other dental items for students to look at. Students were fascinated by the tools, with several saying they “were very cool.”
Miss Carly and Clyde concluded their visit with each grade level by showing students how to properly brush their teeth. Students laughed and smiled as Miss Carly had Clyde demonstrate the precise technique students should use when brushing their teeth. During the kindergarten demonstration, students were concerned that Clyde wasn’t using real toothpaste. Miss Carly chuckled as she told the kindergartners Clyde was just pretending there was toothpaste on his toothbrush to show them. She assured the students Clyde always uses real toothpaste when he brushes his teeth.
Feedback from our students on Miss Carly’s and Clyde’s visit has been extremely positive. Students loved interacting with Clyde and were especially excited when he gave each of them a goodie bag filled with dental health products. Students have even remembered some of Miss Carly’s and Clyde’s tips, with a first grader telling Mrs. Lawlor that his “teeth were dirty” after snack time.
