Annual Field Trip to GSDM a Great Success

On May 17, 2017, a group of 93 third graders from Blackstone School in the South End learned about oral health and oral healthcare from students, faculty, and staff volunteers during the first of two annual field trips to the Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM).

Coordinated by GSDM’s chapter of the Hispanic Student Dental Association (HSDA) and the Office of Global and Population Health—and staffed by 47 faculty, students and staff volunteers—the GSDM field trip allowed students to learn about oral health education through interactive games and activities and hands on learning in GSDM’s Simulation Learning Center (SLC).

This was the first field trip to GSDM of 2017. On June 7, 2017, second grade students from Orchard Gardens K-8 Pilot School in Roxbury will visit GSDM and learn about oral healthcare.

“This first field trip was a success,” said Ms. Kathy Lituri, Oral Health Promotion Director. “The third graders were able to learn about dentistry and good oral health habits.”

She continued, “I would also like to thank all of our volunteers and especially the volunteers with GSDM’s HSDA, who were so helpful in the planning of this event.”

The field trip started at 9:15 a.m. at the School in room G-301, where Captain Cavity, the Tooth Fairy, and the Group Leaders welcomed the students and their teachers to GSDM. The children and the volunteers were assigned to one of five groups named after teeth: the central incisors, the lateral incisors, the cuspids, the bicuspids, and the molars.The presentation focused on healthy eating for healthy teeth and bodies. The children also played the Go, Slow, Whoa nutrition game.  Before leaving for the SLC, they were given a healthy snack of low-fat, low-sugar Greek yogurt, a banana, and water.

Next, the students headed to the Simulation Learning Center (SLC) to take part in more activities and to learn more about keeping teeth clean as well as what it is like to be a dental student.

After learning about the SLC and the important role it plays in the education of the dental students, the students took part in several activities, while at their seats in the SLC:

A child from each group put their hand in a different color of glitter (germs) and then shook their hands to see how, even after shaking, germs can linger.

The children then simulated washing their hands for two minutes while singing a handwashing song to the tune of Row, Row, Row Your Boat.

They also learned about dental materials and made an impression of their thumb, then stone was mixed and poured into the thumb impression to make a model of their thumb.

Each elementary student learned how to prevent cavities and brush and floss properly, as well as what healthy foods they can eat to prevent cavities.

Finally, to learn how sealants work, each child was given a sealed walnut and a non-sealed walnut.  They then put each walnut into a bag of playdough, to simulate ‘junk’ food. Upon removal of the walnuts from the bag, they used a toothbrush to remove the food, finding that the food slides right off of the sealed walnut.

After a group photo on the steps of 100 East Newton Street, the elementary students headed to the Talbot Green for a pizza lunch. After the lunch, the students played with beach balls and participated in an array of games before departing back to their school.  Each child left with a goody bag that included a toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, a timer, a pencil, stickers, and handouts related to the day’s activities and, of course, a model of their thumb.

“I am so pleased to hear that the field trip to GSDM went exceptionally well,” said Dean Jeffrey W. Hutter. “It is always a true privilege to be able to host these young people and teach them about the importance of good oral health throughout their life.”  I cannot say enough as to the outstanding job Kathy Lituri and her team of staff members and student volunteers do in making these field trips a great experience.

The GSDM volunteers for the Field Trip Day were:

Photos can be found on Flickr.