Lasting Impressions | Summer 2016

34 x NSU LASTING IMPRESSIONS The student chapter of the CDM’s Hispanic Dental Association was enlightened by a bright idea—literally. Brush Bright, a product that consists of a smile-shaped mirror that lights up for 30 seconds on each quadrant in the mouth, made NSU’s student chapter the winners of the 2015 Nuestros Niños Video Contest, which was sponsored by Colgate. The product, which is really a prototype at this point, is designed so a parent merely has to hold the mirror in front of the child to ensure the youngster will brush in the correct direction for at least two minutes. In addition to the lights, there are vocal instructions in English and Spanish— the whole idea was born out of a brainstorming session by the student chapter. “The whole point of the contest was to create a product that will help children do a better job of brushing,” said Lizette Garcia, a third-year dental student and president of NSU’s student chapter of the Hispanic Dental Association. “It was oral health innovation.” Seven NSU students, who represented the club, were flown to Piscataway, New Jersey, where they toured Colgate’s Technology Center. The CDM student association also received a $1,000 prize, which was used to purchase supplies, such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, and floss that are used in community-service events and health fairs. But that’s not all the 35-member student assoc- iation does. In the past year, the student chapter has been involved in a number of community projects, including those below. Á The Orgullo Program—that’s Spanish for pride— teaches children from first through fifth grade the proper ways of brushing and flossing. The program features two components—an educational video on oral health education and outreach with CDM dental students visiting schools on career days. Á Lessons in a Lunchbox is a program initiated at Indian Trace Elementary in Weston, Florida. Instead of food, students received lunchboxes full of oral-hygiene products and tips on proper nutrition. Á The student chapter assisted in the set up and organization of the CDM’s continuing education courses held off campus. Á Garcia created a bilingual script of English-to- Spanish dental terms to help dentists commun- icate better with their patients. As a fund-raiser, the chapter also sold Spanish-English dictionaries. Student dentists who bought the dictionaries also received free Spanish lessons from Garcia and her colleagues. Á Student chapter members receive experience—and connect with the community—by joining profes- sional dentists on the Colgate Bus, which makes prearranged stops in Hispanic communities in Hialeah and Homestead, Florida. “It’s basically dental care on wheels,” said Alexis Otero, a third-year dental student and the student chapter’s vice president. “We teach the residents about how to maintain a healthy mouth. We’ve seen a ripple effect. We teach the kids, and they teach their BY WALTER VILLA Student Chapter Offers Community Awareness p Bright Ideas