Dr. Turab Rai created the Bright Smiles Community Outreach Coalition, which is quickly becoming a well-supported nonprofit in Western Ohio. At its core, the coalition’s mission is simple: spread information about oral health and preventative care.
“Kids are sponges,”says dentist Dr. Turab Rai. “If they see you taking care of your teeth, they’ll follow. Turn it into family time -- brush together, make it fun."FRANKLIN, Ohio -- Oral health isn’t something most people pour much thought into on a daily basis -- especially kids. But one dentist is working to change all that, one tooth at a time.“They were teaching us how to treat patients, but they weren’t teaching us how to be leaders or teachers in our communities,” he said.Dr.
“Preventative care comes down to two key things: nutrition and hygiene technique,” he said. “It’s not just what you eat, but how often you’re eating.“If you’re snacking throughout the day, you’re keeping your mouth in an acidic environment, and that’s what leads to tooth decay.”“Over time, dissolves,” he said. “That’s what’s happening in your mouth if it stays acidic. So I tell people: Eat whatever you want, but do it in a short period and rinse your mouth after.
“We’re getting better at patient communication and making kids feel at ease, but we need to move faster in valuing the human aspect of health care,” he said.As for parents trying to instill good habits in their kids, Rai suggests making dental care a family affair. As Rai works tirelessly, the organization he founded has quickly gained momentum, said Jennifer Reed, president of the Bright Smiles Coalition.“The outreach is both educational and beneficial,” Reed said. “We have the ability to reach children as young as 3 years old. We teach them basic dental care, how to brush their teeth and what to expect at the dentist’s office.”
“The best indicator is being asked back to do it again. We see people in the streets who remember us and how we helped them. This is big with the homeless population.”“We are expanding to Texas and California because there is such a need for what we do,” Reed said.
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