Oral health program hits the road

Sept. 18, 2007
Traveling exhibition tours nation beginning in fall of 2007.

BALTIMORE, Maryland--The Dr. Samuel D. Harris National Museum of Dentistry has developed a new traveling exhibition to make oral health education accessible to families across the country.

MouthPower, a hands-on exhibition targeted to children in grades 1-3 (ages 5-8), guides young people in discovering the power of a healthy smile through vibrant modular learning stations that can be configured to any space.

Led by Mouthie the chatterteeth mascot, children learn how to brush their teeth on a larger-than-life mouth, role play a visit to the dentist in a child-size "dental office," learn the dangers of tobacco, explore the parts of a tooth, and more.

"This new traveling exhibition will bring museums and local dental communities
together to deliver important oral health messages to the public," said National
Museum of Dentistry Executive Director Rosemary Fetter. "Local dental
associations will be able to partner with host museums to promote
MouthPower and plan educational programs that will enhance oral health
education throughout the country."

MouthPower kicks off a national tour at the ADA Annual Session in San
Francisco Sept. 27–29 followed by the Children's Museum of Stockton (October-December 2007) and the Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana, Calif. (February-April 2008), followed by the Storm Lake Iowa Public Library (September-December 2008) and ADA Headquarters in Chicago (January-April 2009).

MouthPower is the latest in a series of successful nationwide traveling exhibitions created by the National Museum of Dentistry, recognized for its innovative exhibits and programs that educate the public about the
importance of oral health in a healthy life. These exhibitions--including Branches, Bristles and Batteries:

Toothbrushes Through Time and The Future is Now!: African Americans in Dentistry--have reached more than 2 million people at children's and science museums and other venues throughout North America.

The exhibition features:

Build a Tooth: Build a tooth by turning colorful overlay pages in a tooth-shaped book

Let's Brush and Floss: Practice brushing and flossing on an oversize mouth with king-size brush and floss.

Say No to Smoking: "Put out" the cigarettes to learn about the risks of
smoking.

Tobacco = Tooth Trouble: Move a smile along a visual timeline to discover what tobacco use can do to a healthy mouth.

Start Your Food Adventure: Begin a lifetime of healthy easting with smart food choices from the new food pyramid.

Let's Eat! Let's Move!: Explore how portion size and exercise builds a healthy body.

Join the Dental Team: Don clinic coats and become members of the dental team (dentist, patient, hygienist, and assistant) in a child-size dental office complete with chair and x-rays.

Play the MouthPower Game: Explore an interactive computer version of the exhibition.

This exhibition is made possible by a grant from Colgate-Palmolive.

Traveling Exhibition Program
Innovative traveling exhibitions created by NMD have reached more than 2 million people at children's and science museums and other venues throughout North America, inspiring visitors of all ages to make healthy choices about oral health and celebrating the heritage and future of dentistry. Exhibitions on tour include:

MouthPower
Mouthie guides children ages 5–8 in a hands-on discovery of the power of a healthy smile.

The Future is Now! African Americans in Dentistry Inspiring personal histories honor the remarkable men and women who paved the way for African Americans' success in dentistry.

Branches, Bristles and Batteries: Toothbrushes Through Time Children and adults alike can "brush up" on the terrific truths about toothbrushes while developing habits that ensure good oral health.