CREST HEALTHY SMILES 2010 AND THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA HELP CHILDREN START GOOD ORAL HYGIENE HABITS AT FIESTA BROADWAY

Children Received Free Dental Screenings and Oral Health Education at the CHS2010-USC Dental Van Area

Los Angeles, CA, April 27, 2004 – Crest Healthy Smiles 2010 (CHS 2010) and the University of Southern California School of Dentistry (USCSD) teamed up to sponsor this year’s Quinceañera Fiesta Broadway, where more than 500,000 attendees gathered across downtown Los Angeles for the largest “Cinco de Mayo” event in the country. At Fiesta Broadway, which took place on Sunday, April 25, children and their families received free dental screenings and Crest toothbrushes and paste to help them start on the road to better oral health. Dentists were onsite to provide answers to parents with oral health care questions. Delta Dental provided dental insurance information. Additionally, a variety of oral health brochures were provided in Spanish and were available for families to take home and review together.

“Fiesta Broadway is a great opportunity for Crest Healthy Smiles 2010 and the University of Southern California School of Dentistry to raise awareness among families about how oral health impacts overall health,” said Diane Dietz, general manager-North America Oral Care. “Through our partnership with University of Southern California School of Dentistry we can further our joint mission to help children create and maintain healthy, beautiful smiles for life.”

In addition to providing dental screenings, the CHS 2010-USCSD area was filled with fun activities for the whole family. The Crest mascots Geena, Sparkle and Tooth Mouse, were present to greet children and bring smiles to their fun-filled day. Families were also able to visit the area to receive giveaways and spin the Crest wheel for prizes.

“Through our ongoing partnership with Crest Healthy Smiles 2010 and participation at events like Fiesta Broadway, we can help further close the dental care gap in Los Angeles,” said Dr. Charles Goldstein, director of Community Outreach Programs for USCSD. “At this event we will be able to promote the importance of oral health by providing children with education, supplies and dental screenings.”

The USCSD Neighborhood Mobile Clinic is committed to provide dental care to 1,200 inner city second and third-grade school children annually. The Neighborhood Mobile Clinic operates four days a week and provides oral health screenings, education and preventive care such as fluoride treatments and dental sealants for children enrolled in the USC partner schools. Any children with treatment needs revealed during delivery of preventive services are referred to the USC School of Dentistry Pediatric Dental Clinic for follow-up care. Planned follow-up exams on a sample of this population will assess the effectiveness of the treatment program in reducing the number of decayed, missing and filled teeth. The USC Neighborhood Mobile Dental Clinic Program also participates in specific local health and community events throughout the year, including visits to local Boys & Girls Clubs.

This program also receives major funding from the Los Angeles Care Health Plan, the Annenberg Foundation, two USC Neighborhood Outreach Grants and from individual donors to the USC Community Dentistry Fund, many of whom were former student participants in the school's Mobile Clinic Program.

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 by 2010. 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.