On Friday 22nd June 2018, we visited the FOUR Prep classes at St. Columba’s Primary School, just around the corner from us in Wilston!
The visit was super special for us for two reasons. One – Dr. Grant actually attended St. Columba’s when he was growing up! And two – Grant and Jasmine’s nephew was in one of the classes! We made a short video about our visit where you can watch a special interview with our nephew too!
Why do we do it?
Some people might wonder – why is a dentist visiting local schools and childcare centres?
Well, we believe that education is the key to solving so many problems, whether they are health related or not. And the fact that most dental diseases are preventable motivates us to get the best preventative information out there.
What do we talk about?
Kids around this age often know some basics about healthy diets and toothbrushing. We aim to take them just a little deeper into why these things are so important. We discuss how the germs in your mouth love sugar, and how feeding those germs can lead to unhealthy or “sick” teeth. Sometimes, kids are surprised to learn how many germs there are in your mouth or that fruit juice can be just as bad for your teeth as soft drinks!
We also show them how to brush their teeth thoroughly using a giant teeth model and generally try to have some fun!
Helping to prevent dental phobia
One final thing I like to do, is put on my dentist gear. I put my special magnifying glasses on, and a mask and gloves and show them how visiting the dentist doesn’t have to be a bad or scary thing. It normalises the routine of visiting the dentist regularly and hopefully helps kids to view it as a positive, healthy thing to do.
We’re on a Mission
At Method Dental, our mission statement is:
We will educate, inspire and challenge the way you view oral health so that, together, we can help you and your family to be healthier.
School visits are just another way for us to live our mission statement.
If you believe in the things we believe in and would like for us to take care of your family, you can find all of our details on our contact page. Find out more about our approach to Kid’s dentistry here.
Enjoy the video from our visit to St. Columba’s Primary school!
P.S. We’re super excited to be a sponsor of the Great Fete on July 28th 2018!
Dr. Grant McGrath BDSc
Principal Dentist
Method Dental