by Meleasie Goviro – EM TV News, Port Moresby
Colgate Palmolive’s Bright Smiles, Bright Future Oral Health Program at Waigani Centrals Car Park today attracted children and their parents from around the city.
The BSBF Program, since its establishment in 2010, has expanded from just promoting healthy oral practices to integrating Colgate’s ‘Clean Hand, Good Health’ hand hygiene program.
Parent’s active participation in the programs various activities were encouraging, as it set a healthy example for children to follow.
Each child was accompanied by their parent(s), to register for free dental check-ups; courtesy of the National Health Department and Colgate Palmolive.
Colgate Palmolive’s Health Educator, Virginia Rarabun, also delivered fun and factual lessons that encouraged children to brush regularly with fluoride toothpaste and reduce sweet intake for better oral health.
The key objectives of the BSBF school oral health program is to develop in children habitual healthy oral care and hygiene practices; skills they can take ownership of at a young age and carry into adolescence and adulthood.
Each child and parent was given a participant kit, which included two Colgate tooth brushes and toothpaste, Protex Soaps and educational flyers.
Even the famous Doctor Rabbit was there to give the children’s learning environment a fun twist.
EMTVs vocal fusion, who also works closely with Colgate, gave a groovy momentum to the day’s events with performances from young talents Sumira Natera and Tinzy.
The 2015 Bright Smiles Bright Future program saw a good 245,000 children and adults educated on the importance of good oral health and aims to reach yet over 300,000 Papua New Guinean children in 2016.
