WALTERBORO, S.C. (Feb. 29, 2024) … It’s National Children’s Dental Health Month and Delta Dental of South Carolina’s popular, award-winning Land of Smiles® dental education program is on the road, taking the crusade for healthy teeth to more than 9,400 youngsters at 38 schools across the state. The cast of dynamic superhero characters made their most recent stop in Walterboro for a performance at Northside Elementary School, teaching good dental health habits to 272 students in kindergarten through third grade.
The Land of Smiles® experience follows superhero Captain Super Grin®, as he defeats his nemesis, Caz CavitySM, with help from his sidekicks Terri Tooth FairySM and ToothpickSM. Students learn the importance of brushing teeth twice a day, flossing, using mouthwash, eating healthy foods and visiting the dentist regularly. The program includes an oral health curriculum that adheres to National Health Education Standards, as well as standards for South Carolina. It contains engaging, age-appropriate materials to make learning about dental health entertaining for kids and includes activity sheets, which are also available in Spanish. Delta Dental of South Carolina also offers free “smile bags” to schools for students who participate in the program. Each bag includes a toothbrush, toothpaste and dental floss to help students practice the good oral health habits they learn. A newly created short video, which recaps important oral health tips the program teaches children in schools, is now available for caregivers and can be found at www.landofsmilesprogram.org by selecting “South Carolina” and then “parent/caregiver video” from the top toolbar.
“Our lively Land of Smiles show makes learning about dental health truly fun for kids, but most importantly, it’s memorable,” said Stacy Harris, supervisor of community outreach at Delta Dental of South Carolina. “Pre- and post-show testing demonstrates that, on average, students show a nearly 30% increase in their good oral health behavior and knowledge after seeing a performance. That’s the positive outcome we all want.”
Since its inception in the fall of 2014, the Delta Dental of South Carolina’s Land of Smiles® program has taught more than 325,000 kids how to take care of their growing smiles through more than 1,200 onsite and virtual performances at schools in 45 South Carolina counties. At least 30% of schools receiving the program have more than 80% of students enrolled in the free and reduced lunch program. The Land of Smiles® experience is provided free of charge to schools, courtesy of Delta Dental of South Carolina.
Local teachers, school nurses and principals are invited to email Schools@NationalTheatre.com to request an in-person, live show for this school year, or visit www.landofsmilesprogram.org to gain access to the online program on a date and time that works for their students.
About Delta Dental of South Carolina
Delta Dental of South Carolina is a trade name of Delta Dental of Missouri, a dental benefits provider and a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization, which operates in South Carolina under that name. It provides more than 330,000 members in South Carolina with access to affordable, high-quality dental care through group plans tailored to meet the needs of organizations of all sizes, from large corporations to small businesses with two or more employees. Delta Dental also offers dental benefit plans directly to individuals and families. It also provides access to affordable, high-quality vision care through group vision benefit plans. The company proudly supports oral health initiatives, educational programs and charitable causes that help educate people about the importance of dental health and provide free dental care to those in need. It also created the South Carolina Dental Care Resource Guide to help individuals access information about low-cost and free dental care options in their area—available online at www.DeltaDentalSC.com/ResourceGuide1. To learn more about the company, visit www.DeltaDentalSC.com.
