Dental program helps seniors keep those pearly whites

Oral Health America wants to make sure seniors keep smiling.

The organization created the Wisdom Tooth Project in 2014 to educate older adults how to maintain good oral health and access oral healthcare service.

That education is going viral as part of the new Serving Smiles to Senior program, a collaboration among Oral Health America, Delta Dental of Michigan, The Michigan Office of Retirement Services and the Tri-County Office on Aging. Seniors are treated to lunch, oral health bingo and a 30-minute educational session from a registered dental hygienist trained in Oral Health America's Wisdom Tooth curriculum.

"The goal of Serving Smiles to Seniors is to not only begin a conversation about proper oral care and hygiene in the golden years, but to help seniors find dental profviders and resroruces nearby," says Teri Battaglieri, director for the Delta Dental Foundation in a press release. 

The programs are free and open to the public. They will be offered at eight locations in central Michigan through August. The Ingham County Health Deparment's Mobile Dental Center will be at slect locations to provide dental care.

“It is very important for (seniors’) health needs to be met, and unfortunately the mouth is one of the things that gets missed," says Sandy Sutton, registered dental hygienist and member of the Michigan Dental Hygienist Association Public Health Council to Fox 47 News. Sutton spoke with seniors June 7 on proper tooth brushing, cavity prevention, denture care, flossing and implants.

Related:The dental dilemma of natural teeth

Nicole Stempak

Nicole was Senior Editor at I Advance Senior Care and Long Term Living Magazine 2015-2017. She has a Journalism degree from Kent State University and is finalizing a master’s degree in Information Architecture and Management. She has extensive studies in the digital user experience and in branding online media. She has worked as an editor and writer for various B2B publications, including Business Finance.