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ORTHO TRIBUNE | MAy 2010 News 3 By Fred Michmershuizen, Online Editor T o help raise awareness of the fight against pediatric dental disease, National Children’s Oral Health Foundation: America’s Toothfairy (NCOHF) has released a public service announcement video as part of a continued effort against the No. 1 chronic childhood illness in the United States. The video — “America’s Tooth- fairy: Transforming Children’s Lives” — was produced to educate the general public about the preva- lence of pediatric dental disease and highlight the measures that NCOHF nonprofit affiliate health- care facilities are taking to provide underserved children nationwide with compassionate, comprehen- sive oral health care. “Millions of children are suffer- ing in silence from oral pain so severe that it impacts their ability to eat, sleep and learn on a daily basis,” said Fern Ingber, NCOHF president and CEO. “With access to basic preven- tive care and simple educational tools, pediatric dental disease is completely preventable. We hope this film will create a robust public dialogue surrounding our country’s oral health epidemic and encour- age increased support for nonprofit health-care centers that work tire- lessly on limited resources to elimi- nate this disease from future gen- erations.” Two dental health-care profes- sionals offer their comments in the video. “Dental caries is still very much a disease; in fact, it is the most com- mon chronic disease in childhood,” says Dr. J. Timothy Wright, profes- sor and chair of pediatric dentistry at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. “Oral health is one of the lead- ing causes of children not being in school.” Dr. Rocio Quinonez, clinical associate professor at the Univer- sity of North Carolina School of Dentistry, says, “We as a profession certainly share the same mission as the NCOHF, and that is to get to kids early enough so that we can not only prevent disease but change the trajectory of oral health and general health outcome.” “America’s Toothfairy: Trans- forming Children’s Lives” was produced by Emulsion Arts Film Production Co. with funding from DENTSPLY International, a dedi- cated NCOHF underwriter. The video may be viewed on the Ortho Tribune website’s media Video puts focus on pediatric dental disease center, located at mediacenter. ortho-tribune.com. OT AD Children who have received care thanks to the efforts of the National Children’s Oral Health Foundation: America’s Tooth- fairy are featured in a new video. (Photo/Provided by NCOHF)