ADEA Council of Deans Welcomes The Children’s Oral Health Institute for Lessons in a Lunch Box Update

Much like 2009, The Children’s Oral Health Institute (COHI) was welcomed by the American Dental Education Association’s (ADEA) Council of Dental School Deans November 20 in Fort Lauderdale, Florid, to present the Lessons in a Lunch Box: Healthy Teeth Essentials & Facts About Snacks® program.

The presentation was an update for some and new information for others. The program was explained, and each dean received an exclusive lunch box, synopsized, 10-year chronology and map demonstrating the national outreach of the program, along with the list of 47 of the 66 dental schools that have participated to date. Sponsors and organizations supporting the health education initiative were considered during the meeting.

Dr. Leslie E. Grant, COHI Director of Advocacy and Outreach, offered a demonstration of the lunch box and dental carrot case. Modifications made to improve efficiency of the program and products, and to include children who are blind and deaf, were addressed. The modifications include braille legends on both the carrot case and the lunch box.

Deans had the opportunity to view the recently created American Sign Language (ASL) video (shown above), featuring Andrew Donald, who is deaf and is a 4th year student dentist at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry. The ASL video is linked on Procter & Gamble’s https://dentalcare.com and The Children’s Oral Health Institute website. The footage is sponsored by the Benco Dental Company.

Children’s Oral Health Institute CEO, Dr. Winifred Booker, expressed gratitude on behalf of The Children’s Oral Health Institute for the continued commitment from the dental schools for Lessons in a Lunch Box. She went on to say, “We are proud to have been afforded the opportunity to share the success of program with the deans. So much of the oral health education that is disseminated through the program is due to their leadership and to the benevolence of their dedicated student dentists.”

Visit https://www.mycohi.org to learn more about Lessons in a Lunch Box and dental school participation. Register elementary school 2nd and 3rd grades for the 2018 cycle while supplies last.