Movie Review: Crooked Chelsea Patten, Staff Writer, Dentaltown Magazine


Outdated PSA-style advertisements just don't cut it anymore for educating kids about the importance of oral hygiene.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.
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