Saipan Dental Clinic successfully conducts dental health presentations

The newest addition to the CNMI’s dental healthcare landscape held successful dental health presentations at William S. Reyes Elementary School last May 20 and Saipan International School last May 21.

Saipan Dental Clinic’s dental professionals conducted interactive sessions for students from pre-K to 5th grade at the two schools that emphasized the importance of good oral hygiene practices and its impact on overall health.

Marketing associate and management admin Marilou Arriola said they presented to around 20 students at WSR and around 90 students at SIS.

“Our team is extremely grateful to both Saipan International School and WSR Elementary School for the chance to visit and teach young minds about oral hygiene. We are advocates for early dental education, and we believe that instilling these values in children is key. Our goal is for them to share what they’ve learned with their friends and family, and hopefully sparking a lifelong enthusiasm for dental health,” she said.

WSR first grade teacher Elaine Enriquez thanked Saipan Dental Clinic for a fun and informative presentation.

“My students loved the costumes, performances, and activities. It’s not every day we get to have a dental clinic visit our schools, so we are grateful for this opportunity!” she said.

Pam Walsh, SIS third grade teacher, seconded Enriquez and also thanked the Gualo Rai dental clinic for visiting SIS’ elementary department.

“The presentation was a very entertaining one and the students love the hands-on activities. Congratulations Saipan Dental Clinic for a successful school outreach and thanks again for reminding our Geckos how to properly take care of our teeth!” she said.

Saipan Dental Clinic’s Dr. Soon Ho Park said that maintaining good oral hygiene through regular brushing, flossing, and checkups are essential for optimal dental health in emphasizing oral hygiene to the community.

Dental assistants Daphne Cruzat and Ryan Borja said they also had a great time teaching oral hygiene to children.

“It was a heart-warming and fun experience for the whole team. Students actively participated in the activities and lessons we prepared for them. Proper oral hygiene should start from an early age,” said Cruzat.

“We taught kids how to brush their teeth at least two minutes and two times a day to avoid gum disease,” said Borja.

The students also shared that they had a fun and amusing time while learning the importance of dental hygiene from Saipan Dental Clinic staff.

“We leaned to always brush your teeth to have no cavities,” said Napaton “Patricia” Papirom, a first grader at SIS.

Arthur Villaluz, an SIS fifth grade student, said he learned that flossing teeth is important to make sure nothing is stuck on your teeth.

Hailey Park, another fifth grader from SIS, said her favorite part of the presentation was learning to properly floss and brush your teeth and that you have to the see a dentist once every six months.

WSR’s Jeff Lian, 7, said he found the presentation fun while learning how to properly clean and take care of your teeth, while schoolmate Kiara Ball, another 7-year-old, said she loved the dance number as well as finding out why teeth need to always stay healthy.

Like Ball, Meilanna Castro, 7, said she also liked how the Saipan Dental Clinic staff danced and the presentation on how too much sugar ruins teeth.

Arriola, meanwhile, said Saipan Dental Clinic is planning to have more events and programs aimed at educating the community about the critical role oral health plays in our overall well-being.

“We hope that through these efforts, oral health will become more of a priority within our community. Sadly, we’re witnessing a rise in oral health issues in the CNMI, from minor problems to severe conditions like oral cancer. This trend is alarming, and we hope that our clinic can help to counter it by offering our services. As part of our commitment to the CNMI community’s health, in addition to our standard offerings, we also provide cleanings for betelnut chewers and free oral cancer screenings,” she said.

For more information or to schedule an appointment at Saipan Dental Clinic, call (670) 488-8533 or email info@saipandental.com. The clinic is conveniently located at the CLL Plaza (former IT&E) along Middle Road and is open all week (except Wednesdays) and also open on weekends.