
Outdated PSA-style advertisements
just don't cut it anymore for educating
kids about the importance of oral hygiene.
Stars North Films, with filmmaker Todd
Thompson took the responsibility into
their own hands by creating Crooked, a
current day-in-the-life sketch of Samantha
– a relatable kid-centered effort to demonstrate
good oral hygiene practice.
Samantha, on the verge of her teenage years, brushes her
teeth three times a day. Her concern for her oral hygiene
keeps her teeth healthy and white, and keeps both her and
her dentist smiling. Although Samantha's pearly whites are
nearly flawless, she has one stubborn, crooked baby tooth
that refuses to fall out. She tries everything – since once it
falls out, she will have a perfect smile, and as fate would
have it, the heart of the new boy at school as well.
The 17-minute film short is relevant and applicable for
elementary and middle schools kids. The plot combines
dental care with the comedic dramas of middle-school
including popularity, image, and innocent romance, as
well as the perils of home – an embarrassing mother and a
sloppy, cavity-ridden brother.
Throughout the witty and fast-paced film, Samantha
indirectly educates kids on the importance and responsibility
of oral hygiene maintenance. She compares her
smile to the smiles in several popular teen magazines. She
knows and verbalizes that she cannot have a winning smile
without making brushing and flossing a twice-daily habit.
The short really packs a punch in the brushing and flossing
department.
Executive producer and the first clinician to jump on
board, Steve Tinsworth, DMD, says, "One of my biggest
obstacles is getting
patients to truly understand the life-long effects that good
oral hygiene has on their bodies. You can remind them
every time they come in for a check-up, but getting them
to form the habit – that's the real challenge."
The film's stars Kendall Ganey, (The Little Princess and
Ace Venture Pet Detective) and Bo Mitchell (October Road and Eastbound and Down) create role-model characters for
kids to form their brushing habits after.
Crooked is available in the 2011 American Dental
Association Catalog, as well as online at www.dentalmovie.org. It retails for $14.95. The DVD includes "play"
and "play continuously" options to accommodate your
waiting room area. It also has many various menu features
including behind-the-scenes footage and a music video set.
For more information visit www.dentalmovie.org. |