New Way to Teach Children About Good Oral Hygiene

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If you’ve lost all hope trying to convince patients about the importance of good oral hygiene, do not despair. Help has finally arrived in the form of a 17-minute short film that really packs a punch in the brushing and flossing department. Now available on DVD, “CROOKED” is designed with “dentists in mind” and is starting to play on waiting room flat screens and patient chair monitors all over the country.

Written and directed by award-winning filmmaker, Todd Thompson, “CROOKED” is told through the eyes of Samantha, a young girl obsessed with losing her last “crooked” baby tooth in order to obtain the perfect smile and win the heart of the new boy at school. The film stars Kendall Ganey (The Little Princess, Ace Ventura Pet Detective) and Bo Mitchell (October Road, Eastbound and Down) and introduces the talents of Sarah Grace Ackerman and Justin Garcia.

“One of my biggest obstacles is getting patients to truly understand the life-long effects that good oral hygiene has on their bodies,” Dr. Steve Tinsworth, D.M.D said. “You can remind them every time they come in for a check-up, but getting them to form the habit—that’s the real challenge.”

Tinsworth, who has served as president of the Florida and Southern Association of Orthodontics and was a past American Association of Orthodontists Council Chair on Orthodontic Practice, was one of the first to come on board and help executive produce “CROOKED.”

“The story is incredibly witty and fast-paced,” he said. “Its brushing and flossing message resonates with young people, and if that helps them get into the habit of taking care of their teeth, I am all for it!  After all, kids who form good habits now grow into adults with healthy teeth—and as dentists, that’s why we’re here.”

“CROOKED” is available in the 2011 American Dental Association Catalog and online at dentalmovie.org. The DVD features a “play” or “play continuously” option, as well as a robust menu of bonus materials, including behind-the-scenes footage and a music video set to the film’s title track “Shake It—Til Your Tooth Falls Out” which was written and performed by 6-year-old recording artist, Elliott Rivers. For more information, visit www.dentalmovie.org.