With indulgent holidays such as Halloween and Thanksgiving quickly approaching, Delta Dental of Oklahoma and its Foundation want to remind educators of the free educational resources available to Oklahoma classrooms. The two educational programs, Captain Supertooth and MouthScience, are interactive, engaging and allow students to better understand the importance of maintaining good oral hygiene.

“By teaching children why oral health is important, we are empowering them to take care of their teeth and setting them up for a lifetime of positive dental habits,” said Terrisa Singleton, director of the Delta Dental of Oklahoma Foundation.

Studies show children who have poor oral health often miss more school and receive lower grades than children with proper dental hygiene. Cavities, one of the most common chronic childhood infectious diseases in the country, can result in an inability to eat or chew well, discolored and damaged teeth and/or significant pain. These side effects are easily avoidable with proper dental hygiene.

“Captain Supertooth and MouthScience are fantastic resources to promote positive dental care habits among our state’s youth,” said John Gladden, chairman, president and CEO of Delta Dental of Oklahoma. “Each program is designed for a specific age group and are available free of charge to Oklahoma educators to provide fun, educational experiences for their students.”

Captain Supertooth engages Oklahoma Pre-K through third grade students with a lively 25-minute performance, either in-person or virtually. To schedule a visit from Oklahoma’s defender of oral health, visit CaptainSupertooth.com.

MouthScience kits provide tools to visually demonstrate the levels of acid and sugar contained in common drinks, encouraging kids to make healthier choices to better protect their teeth. Each MouthScience kit contains all the supplies needed for third through sixth grade teachers to facilitate hands-on science experiments, aligned with Oklahoma Academic Standards, in their own classrooms. To request a kit today, visit DDOKFoundation. org/MouthScience. All students who participate in either program also receive a free toothbrush to further empower them to take control of their dental health.

To learn more about how Delta Dental of Oklahoma advances its not-for-profit mission through its Foundation, please visit DDOKFoundation. org. Delta Dental of Oklahoma For 50 years, Delta Dental of Oklahoma, the leading provider of dental benefits in the state, has prioritized and advanced the oral health of millions of Oklahomans. Delta Dental of Oklahoma (DDOK) serves more than one million eligible members and more than 9,100 Oklahoma- headquartered companies. Delta Dental of Oklahoma offers Individual and Family benefit plans designed to meet the needs of Oklahomans outside the workplace. For more information, visit DeltaDentalOK. org/CoversMe.