The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America® is a paid advertiser of Sonoran Living.
Guardian Life Insurance Company of America® and Children's Health Fund Bring $1 Million National Oral Health Partnership to Kids in Phoenix.
Additional $10,000 grant to fund healthy snacks for entire school year
The local community and students at St. Matthews Catholic School had the opportunity to learn about the importance of proper oral hygiene during a fun and interactive event arranged in partnership by The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America® (Guardian) and Children's Health Fund. Students K-2, their parents or guardians and staff at the Phoenix school participated in several activities, such as brushed larger-than-life teeth, wrangled giant floss and met the larger-than-life Tooth Guardian™, designed to inspire practicing proper oral hygiene at an early age.
Guardian, one of the largest dental insurance providers in the country, has committed $1 million to Children's Health Fund via their Guardians of the Smile partnership - a school program developed to reach students across the country and teach them about proper oral hygiene. During the Guardians of Smile Phoenix event, more than 500 dental were distributed via various channels. More over, Arizona State Senator Otoniel "Tony" Navarrete was in attendance while Gaurdian presented a $10,000 grant to St. Matthew Catholic School Principal Michael Guerra to stock the "Guardians of the Smile Snack Station," which will provide healthy, non-perishable snacks throughout the school year.
Children's Health Fund recently published a review of literature which found that the effects of poor oral hygiene have a negative impact on a child's education leading to increased school absence and lower standardized test scores. Guardian and Children's Health Fund aim to bolster academic performance and quality of life for students throughout the U.S. by providing necessary dental resources and academic programming to teach lifelong oral hygiene habits.
"Guardian believes that children, regardless of geography or income, should have access to dental services that foster good oral health," said Marc Costantini, Executive Vice President, Commercial & Government Markets from Guardian Life Insurance. "As one of the leading dental insurance providers in the U.S., we have a responsibility to help ensure that all children understand the importance of oral hygiene and have access to dental care."
"This program brings together two organizations that are passionate about giving children the opportunity be healthy," said Dennis Walto, Chief Executive Officer of Children's Health Fund. "Guardian's support allows us to reach children across the country with comprehensive health services and develop engaging programming that will help teach children and their families about good oral hygiene and the importance of dental health in a fun and integrated way. Children with good oral hygiene practices is definitely something to smile about."
For more information, visit www.childrenshealthfund.org/guardiansofthesmile.
