DecayAway Dragon's Healthy Smile | RMHC of the Ozarks' Healthy Smiles Academy

This is the story of DecayAway Dragon and how he learned all about healthy smiles. He loved candy, cookies and soda and did not brush his teeth after eating these treats. One day, DecayAway Dragon woke up with a ginormous toothache. It was so big and so bad that it was hard for him to learn in school, eat, sleep or even play with his friends.

He went to see the school nurse; surely she would know just what to do!

She told him a very special kind of dentist would be coming to their school in a great big truck called

the Tooth Truck, the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile.ÂŽ

DecayAway Dragon counted down the days until

the Tooth Truck would arrive!

The day had finally arrived.

DecayAway Dragon climbed the steps to the Tooth Truck, opened the door and gasped with wonder — it was so cool.

He met Dr. Smiles and her helpers who were all so nice and happy to take care of his toothache. He lay very still while Dr. Smiles looked in his mouth.

She saw cavity bugs had eaten away at his tooth until he was left with a big hole.

No wonder he had a toothache!

He wasn’t worried because he knew that everyone on the Tooth Truck would take good care of him! Dr. Smiles told him to lay back and relax so she could take pictures of his teeth with her x-ray machine, a special camera for teeth.

Next, the helper used a spinning toothbrush to get his teeth sparkling clean.

Dr. Smiles

showed DecayAway Dragon all the dental tools she was going to use to wash away the cavity and fill it so his tooth would be as good as new. Dr. Smiles explained she was going to put his tooth to sleep so he wouldn’t feel any pain while she fixed it. DecayAway Dragon laid back in the great big chair and, before he knew it,

he was cavity free!

DecayAway Dragon was so excited

to have his tooth fixed but was worried another tooth might start to hurt one day. Dr. Smiles told him staying cavity free takes daily work. She wanted him to go to the Healthy Smiles Academy and learn how to get rid of cavity bugs to keep them from causing cavities. He had never heard of the Healthy Smiles Academy but was very eager to learn.

As DecayAway Dragon

enters the Healthy Smiles Academy, he meets Mrs. Grin and learns how he will be a part of this very special club.

As class begins, Mrs. Grin sings: Brush your teeth twice a day and floss before you sleep.

Keep on brushing for two whole minutes, until the timer goes beep, beep.

Do all these things every day and a healthy smile you’ll keep!

Mrs. Grin shows the class how to brush using a brushing model and busts out in rhyme: Cavity bugs like to hide, inside our teeth they will slide.

We don’t want to let them ride.

Brush, brush, brush, open wide.

He has to be sure he brushes all three sides of his top teeth and all three sides of his bottom teeth. There is even a special kind of string, called floss, to clean between his teeth. He made lots of notes so he wouldn’t forget!

DecayAway Dragon learns a lot every day on how to prevent a ginormous toothache from forming again! After lots of practice, DecayAway Dragon is ready to graduate! Mrs. Grin gives him a new toothbrush, toothpaste, floss and some other cool things; all the dental tools he needs to take good care of his teeth!

DecayAway Dragon promises Mrs. Grin he will take care of his toothbrush so he can use it every day!

He repeats Mrs. Grin’s rhyme: Wash your toothbrush with a spray, then put your toothbrush safe away. You don’t want yucky germs to stray. You’re a brushing star, hip, hip, hurray.

He cannot wait to share everything he has learned with his little sister when he gets home. He wants everyone to know the importance of a healthy smile!

DecayAway Dragon always remembers

to brush and floss his teeth every day, just like Mrs. Grin taught him. He cannot wait for the Tooth Truck to come by his school again so he can show Dr. Smiles how well he is caring for his teeth. He is proud to be a super-star brusher and teaches all his friends too!

DecayAway Dragon wants you to join him as a special member of the Healthy Smiles Academy! You can be a super-star brusher today! Do you remember all the steps he learned?

We are excited for you to join the Healthy Smiles Academy here at your school. There are a few special steps for you to follow: 1. Locate box with your name on it (only your name).

2. Set your box down, open, and take out your toothbrush.

3. Hold your cup of toothpaste in one hand and swipe the toothpaste onto your toothbrush.

4. Put a little water on your toothbrush.

5. Brush all sides of your teeth: the front, back, and top on both the top and bottom sets of teeth.

6. When you are ready, be sure to spit in the sink without making a mess.

7. When you are done brushing, make sure your toothbrush is the only one under water and rinse until all the toothpaste is gone.

8. Dry your toothbrush and set it on top of the paper towel in your box.

Wipe your mouth if needed.

9. Close your box (listen for the click) then put it back where you got it and throw your toothpaste cup away.

10. Have a healthy smile every day!

Join DecayAway Dragon as he learns all about healthy smiles! This story follows DecayAway

Dragon as he visits the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile® of the Ozarks, fondly known as the “Tooth Truck,” to fix a cavity, then travels to the Healthy Smiles Academy to meet Mrs. Grin. Mrs. Grin teaches DecayAway Dragon all the steps he needs to keep his teeth healthy and cavity free. You can be a part of the Healthy Smiles Academy by following the daily steps provided at the end of the book.

The Healthy Smiles Academy was made possible through a generous grant from Missouri Foundation for Health to fund the first three years of the program. Missouri Foundation for Health serves as a resource for the region, working with communities and nonprofits to generate and accelerate positive changes in health.

As a catalyst for change, the Foundation improves the health of Missourians through a combination of partnerships, experience, knowledge and funding. Through its support, the Healthy Smiles Academy is able to offer brushing tools and resources to 2,400 participants during it’s first three years.

An extension of the Tooth Truck, the Healthy Smiles Academy is an on-site brushing program that partners with Springfield Public Schools, local Boys and Girls Clubs, and other organizations to teach students the importance of brushing their teeth and practicing good dental hygiene on a daily basis. The program primarily targets pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students, but has the opprounity to work with a variety of ages through community programs.

The following trademarks used herein are owned by McDonald’s Corporation and its affiliates and are used under license:

Ronald McDonald House Charities, Ronald McDonald Care Mobile.