HSDA Lessons in a Lunchbox

 With the support of Dr. Martha Forero, the Hispanic Student Dental Association (HSDA) at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine presented Lessons in a Lunch Box: Healthy Teeth Essentials and Facts about Snacks at Captain Samuel Brown Elementary School in Peabody, Massachusetts, on September 22. 

Brown Elementary is recognized as one of the most integrated schools in Peabody, fostering inclusion for all students. “Lessons in a Lunchbox: Healthy Teeth Essentials and Facts about Snacks,”  is a nationally recognized

program, created by Dr. Winifred Booker, a pediatric dentist in response to the numerous health and behavioral issues seen in children with dental caries. Lessons in a Lunchbox is designed to empower children and families with knowledge on good oral health, including routine dental care, oral health maintenance, and dietary choices.

To engage the students, dietetic intern Janelle McCormick from Tufts University led the nutritional component of the presentation. Dental students Daniela Marroquin Yanez (D28), Diana Florencio (D27), Belen Garcia (D27), and Dominique Valentine (D27), together with Public Health Resident Prachee Keni, delivered an interactive presentation to engage the children and strengthen their understanding of oral health and nutrition.

The educational lunchboxes provided 135 elementary school children in second and third grade with memorable oral health education. The students received a bright orange lunch box, which contained a carrot-shaped container holding a toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss, and rinse cup. The lunch box also includes a reflective sticker that reads “See Yourself Becoming a Dentist” to encourage elementary school students to consider dental medicine as a career and to promote the profession.

Thank you to all the volunteers from the Hispanic Dental Student Association (HSDA), Dr. Marta Forero, dietetic intern Janelle McCormick, and the wonderful faculty from Brown Elementary School that made this event possible.