Hospital helps with dental hygiene, SOLs

Dental education for area first-graders extends beyond caring for their own teeth. They are learning about health for the Standards of Learning tests.

Children's Hospital staff members are visiting classrooms in the Richmond area to show students the proper way to brush -- using a circular motion with the toothbrush -- but also teaching about teeth function, proper nutrition and how to prevent illness, which are included on the SOLs.

In the second year of the program, Children's Hospital is extending into Dinwiddie, New Kent and Charles City counties to try to reach 2,000 first-graders by the spring. This program is a partnership between Children's Hospital and the Virginia Department of Health's Division of Dental Health.

Last year, the program started in Petersburg, Hopewell and Prince George schools and reached 1,086 children.

Becky Baskerville, principal of Sutherland Elementary School in Dinwiddie, said it was an idea that caught her attention.

"Lots of children struggle with dental care . . . and we wanted to support what our teachers do in the classroom," Baskerville said.

Feedback has been positive for the program since its inception two years ago, said Cyndi Cline, hospital liaison at Children's Hospital.

"It's so much fun. The kids are engaged and seem to really enjoy it," said Cline, who is one of the hospital employees who visits the schools.

Children get to practice the proper brushing technique with a large toothbrush and a large set of teeth.

Students are given their own toothpaste, a toothbrush and a coloring book. Information is sent home to parents on proper tooth brushing.

Children's Hospital, which brought this program to three elementary schools in Richmond last fall, will be at Sutherland Elementary on Feb. 20. It's a day many of the first-graders are looking forward to.

"Our first-graders love for anyone to come in and visit," said first-grade teacher Donna Brugos.

Contact Jeremy Slayton at (804) 649-6861 or .