Oakside Elementary Holds First Annual Dental Fair

In celebration of February being Dental Health Month, The Peekskill City School District teamed up with Hudson River Health Care to host the school’s first Annual Dental Health Fair at Oakside Elementary on February 25. The school has offered a Dental Sealant Program for almost 30 years and this year wanted to expand on student’s awareness of the importance of proper dental health.

The Dental Fair was coordinated by Oakside staff, as well as Arlene Swanlie, a Certified Dental Assistant and Ivette Alicea, a Registered Dental Hygienist, both of HRHC Peekskill. Dr. Clifford Hames, the supervising dentist for the Dental Sealant Program at HRHC also joined in the day’s fun.

The event featured numerous information stations set up in the school’s gym, which was decorated with dental health themed posters designed by Oakside students. The informational booths were run by Americorp volunteers who spoke about food choices, played fun dental related games and helped demonstrate proper brushing skills. There was even a puppet show for students to enjoy which reinforced the day’s lessons.

“We just wanted to give the children the opportunity to visit these tables and interactively learn about dental health and sealants,” Alicea explained. “Students can learn about the effects of sugar on their teeth and how much sugar is in the drinks that they drink. It’s been a great day and the kids love it.”

The school also welcomed the Fidelis Insurance Company to participate in the Dental Health Fair. The insurance company provided informational brochures for parents, as well as goodie bags filled with coloring books, crayons and healthy snacks for students. The company’s trademark Fidelisaurus dinosaur was also on hand to greet the children and pose for pictures.