Gordon’s No. 24 3M Race Car, NASCAR Celebrities Help Drive Smiles and Dental Health through Education Programs at LeGore Boys & Girls Club and Keenan-Stahl Boys & Girls Club

ST. PAUL, Minn., (July 28, 2015) – More than 500 students at LeGore Boys & Girls Club and Keenan-Stahl Boys & Girls Club in Indianapolis participated in a special high-speed oral health education event Thursday that left them with big smiles and new tips for improving their dental health.  It was all thanks to NASCAR Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon, driver of the No. 24 3M Chevrolet SS, NASCAR celebrities, 3M ESPE Dental, the ADA Foundation’s Give Kids A Smile® program, CareCredit, Henry Schein Cares and Church & Dwight.

The ADA Foundation’s Give Kids A Smile program rolled into the Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis as part of the race week at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.  For the past four years, 3M ESPE Dental and 3M Racing have joined forces with the ADA Foundation to bring the Give Kids A Smile program to underserved youth and race fans in conjunction with NASCAR race weekends. 

The students had a chance to hear from Jeff Gordon via video, learn more about NASCAR and 3M Racing from PRN and NASCAR on Sirius host Brad Gillie, and gain invaluable tips for improving their dental health from Dr. Jeff Dalin. They then got to play games and have their photo taken with the No. 24 3M Chevy SS race car.  Every child received a dental gift bag including a Tooth Tunes Spinbrush, toothpaste, a pack of Wrigley Orbit sugar free gum, a dental tips sticker for their bathroom mirror, and a tips card for their parents.

“This is a great event that gets the kids excited about taking care of their dental health,” said Dr. Jeff Dalin.  “The racing theme makes it fun, and Jeff Gordon is very inspirational to them.  When they see him smiling in victory lane, it makes them want have the same kind of smile.”

Gordon, who joined forces with 3M for the 2015 season, is well known for his work with children around the world through Jeff Gordon Children’s Foundation.  Now he brings his passion for children’s oral health to help educate children in need through community and school-based oral health educational programs.  

“This season, our No. 24 3M Chevy SS team is excited to partner with 3M ESPE Dental and the ADA Foundation’s Give Kids A Smile program to help drive smiles and good dental health for children in need,” said Gordon.  “When you look at the life-long impact that poor dental health can have on a young child, you see how important it is to help kids learn good dental health practices.  It makes an incredible difference in their ability to learn, to eat nutritiously and have good self-esteem.”
 

Gordon will help continue the momentum throughout the year. 3M ESPE Dental, the ADA Foundation, CareCredit, Henry Schein Cares, and Church & Dwight, will partner with NASCAR and the No. 24 3M team to deliver the message to some 10,000 underserved elementary school children in four additional race markets.  Programs include fun-filled, high-speed oral health education events featuring the No. 24 3M Chevy SS team and race car.  The goals of the ADA Foundation’s Give Kids A Smile program are to eliminate dental cavities in kids under five and help children learn smart dental health practices that will drive healthy smiles for the rest of their lives.  

As a father of two young children, Gordon understands the challenges that parents and caregivers have in getting kids to routinely practice good dental health habits.

“With good brushing and daily flossing, a smart diet and regular visits to the dentist, all kids can achieve good dental health,” said Gordon.  “It’s all about brushing twice a day for two minutes.  If we can sends kids home from an education event with that message, along with some tips to share with their family members, a great toothbrush, toothpaste and dental floss, we can get them on the right track for a terrific smile.”

"The opportunity to work with Jeff Gordon to educate hundreds of thousands of race fans about good dental health is very powerful," said Jodi Case with 3M ESPE Dental.  “And, we are excited to extend this education program throughout the entire dental community to reach millions more parents and caregivers.  We are so proud to partner with other industry leaders to address this critical issue and drive smiles for children in need."

The ADA Foundation’s Give Kids A Smile program, now in its 13th year, is an access-to-care program that includes more than 1,500 Give Kids A Smile events held throughout the year around the country, through which volunteer dentists and their teams provide free dental services to approximately 350,000 underserved children.

Important Oral Health Messages for Children and Caregivers     

• Children should brush for two minutes, twice a day.  They should floss once a day as soon as their teeth touch and make smart food choices.
• Baby teeth are important and they are at risk for decay as soon as they first appear.  Children should see a dentist regularly starting around the time the first tooth erupts or no later than their first birthday.
• The dentist can show you how to clean tiny teeth properly and how to evaluate habits like thumb sucking.
• If you have a baby with sore or tender gums, gently rub the gums with a clean finger, cool spoon, or wet gauze to soothe the area.
•  Children older than two should brush their teeth with a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste.  Be sure they spit it out!
• Cavity-causing bacteria can be passed from parent to child.  Don’t share a spoon or “clean” a pacifier with your mouth. 

For more information and smart dental tips, visit www.adafoundation.org/give-kids-a-smile, www.3MESPE.com, www.2min2x.org, www.MouthHealthy.org and www.Facebook.com/GiveKidsASmile.

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About the ADA Foundation
As dentistry's premier philanthropic and charitable organization, the ADA Foundation is a catalyst for uniting people and organizations to make a difference through better oral health. In 2014, the ADA Foundation provided more than $1,335,000 in grants, scholarships, and awards to programs that are in alignment with the organization’s four mission pillars; Charitable Assistance, Access to Care, Research, and Education (C.A.R.E.).  As part of these efforts, the ADA Foundation provides funding to Give Kids A Smile® related efforts and also oversees the Dr. Anthony Volpe Research Center in Gaithersburg, MD (formerly the Paffenbarger Research Center).  For more information about the ADA Foundation, visit www.adafoundation.org.  

About 3M ESPE Dental
3M ESPE Dental is a dental product manufacturer that markets more than 2,000 dental products and services. 3M ESPE Dental products are designed to help dental professionals improve their patients' oral health care. The 3M Digital Oral Care Department, part of the 3M ESPE Dental Division, aims to accelerate and strengthen 3M’s efforts to lead the digital transformation that is occurring in oral care. 3M Health Care, one of 3M’s five Business Groups, provides world-class innovative products and services to help health care professionals improve the practice and delivery of patient care in medical, oral care, drug delivery and health information markets. For more information on the complete 3M ESPE line of dental products, visit the 3M ESPE Dental website at http://www.3MESPE.com or call the 3M ESPE Dental Technical Hotline at 1-800-634-2249. Products are available for purchase through authorized 3M ESPE Dental distributors.

3M and ESPE are trademarks of 3M or 3M Deutschland GmbH.  

About 3M 

3M is a science-based company with a culture of creative collaboration that inspires powerful technologies, making life better. With $32 billion in sales, 3M employs 90,000 people worldwide and has operations in more than 70 countries. For more information, visit www.3M.com or follow @3MNewsroom on Twitter.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis

Since 1893, Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis have served the Indianapolis community.  With 11 Club locations, the Clubs provide programs for over 7,400 youth in the areas of career exploration and educational enhancement, citizenship and leadership, the arts, and health and fitness.  For additional information, please call (317) 920-4700 or visit us online at www.BGCINDY.org and on social media at www.facebook.com/BGCINDY and www.twitter.com/BGCINDY.  

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