Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation’s Land of Smiles program visited Chester-East Lincoln Elementary School.
The program reached 120 pre-kindergarten through third grade students, according to a community announcement.
Land of Smiles is a free interactive initiative that educates children about oral hygiene, nutrition and the importance of regular dental checkups. The program features characters such as Captain Super Grin, Terri Tooth Fairy and Toothpick, along with their nemesis, Caz Cavity, to engage young audiences.
Tooth decay is the leading chronic disease affecting children, with 22% of Illinois third graders having untreated tooth decay, according to the announcement. To address this issue, the Land of Smiles program visits elementary schools across Illinois throughout the school year.
Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation brings children’s program, Land of Smiles, to schools across Illinois.
This fall, the program is reaching more than 25,660 students at 110 schools, according to the announcement. Each student receives a free oral health kit, which includes a toothbrush, toothpaste and floss, along with tips on how to care for their teeth.
Over the past 16 years, the Land of Smiles program has reached over 623,230 students at more than 1,096 Illinois elementary schools. For more information, visit landofsmilesil.org.
This story was created by reporter Abreanna Blose, ablose@gannett.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.
This article originally appeared on Lincoln Courier: Land of Smiles teaches dental care at Illinois schools
