CREST HEALTHY SMILES 2010 EMPOWERS FAMILIES TO TAKE CONTROL OF THEIR ORAL HEALTH AT LA FERIA DE LA MUJER HOUSTON

Free On- Site Dental Screenings for Children Along with Insurance Solutions, Oral Health Information and Prizes for the Whole Family

HOUSTON, March 10, 2004— For the second consecutive year, Crest Healthy Smiles 2010 (CHS 2010), a national outreach program created to fight the oral health epidemic, is sponsoring La Feria de la Mujer to raise awareness throughout the Hispanic community in Houston. The fair will take place on March 21st at the Metropolitan Pavilion at Adam’s Mark Hotel from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. CHS 2010 will provide free onsite dental screenings for children, while parents will have the opportunity to ask vital oral health questions and learn about alternative insurance solutions.

“Crest Healthy Smiles 2010’s goal to build awareness and bring oral care solutions directly to the Hispanic community are exemplified through local efforts like this one,” says Diane Dietz, North American marketing director for Crest. “La Feria de la Mujer shares our mission to provide important health and educational services to children to help them achieve healthy, beautiful smiles for life in a fun family setting.”

In addition to the bilingual dental staff on hand, answering questions and examining the children’s smiles, CHS 2010 will offer a variety of activities at its booth to show families that oral hygiene can be fun while stressing that good dental health is essential to overall health. A healthcare representative will also be available to offer insurance alternatives Houston’s underserved families can afford. Children and their parents alike will have the opportunity to spin the Crest wheel for prizes and t-shirts. Loveable Crest mascot, Sparkle, will also join the festivities and greet booth visitors with free Crest samples.

Oral Health is crucial to the overall well-being of a child and impacts everything from their general health to how they feel about themselves. Studies show that an alarming 31 percent of all children experience untreated tooth decay, some even as young as one year’s old. Extensive tooth decay along with pain and infection can cause eating, learning and speech problems in children. In fact, a recent U.S. Surgeon General report noted that more than 51 million school hours are lost each year due to dental-related illness.

ABOUT CREST HEALTHY SMILES 2010
Based on the principle that good oral health is integral to overall health, Crest Healthy Smiles 2010 combines the passionate vision of Crest with the resources of Boys & Girls Clubs of America, the American Dental Association, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and other leading members of the dental community to affect real change in the state of the country’s oral health by 2010. Crest is also working with dental schools and local communities to sponsor mobile dental clinics that bring full service dental support to areas in need, as well as building upon its 40-year tradition of broad-based in-school health education programs which reach 90 percent of first graders.

The program will reach more than 50 million children and their families over the next 10 years. A trusted leader in oral health, Crest was the first oral care brand to secure the ADA seal of approval on fluoride toothpaste, a major preventor of cavities. Since first introducing Fluoride toothpaste 40 years ago, it is estimated that Crest has helped prevent more than half a billion cavities in the United States. In addition, through its schools program, Crest has helped more than 100 million kids learn how to take care of their teeth. For more information on Crest Healthy Smiles 2010, call 1-877-289-6322 or log onto www.crest.com for more information on proper oral care.