Why We Did It

Did you know that tooth decay is the #1 chronic childhood illness in America? We didn't. We also discovered that...

• 1 in 5 U.S. children go without dental care.
• More than 40% of children have dental cavities by the time they reach kindergarten.
• Dental care is the most prevalent unmet health care need for children with special needs.
• Nearly one in three (31%) kindergartners and nearly half (47%) of third graders have had at least one cavity. 
• Only 56% of Colorado children six and younger visited the dentist in the past year.
• Children with poor oral health are 3 times more likely to miss school as a result of dental pain which means that Colorado children miss thousands of school hours every year because of preventable complications of cavities, which makes it harder for them to learn and can affect academic achievement.

We knew that we could do something about it. But not alone. With a team. Our sponsors provided the toothbrushes. Walmart provided the toothpaste. The Ranch Event Complex in Larimer County provided the space. Our volunteers provided the labor. Volunteers laid down toothbrushes, walked the line to make sure there were no gaps, and counted toothbrushes. Licensed surveyors volunteered their expertise to give us an official measurement. 

It was truly an event that took a village... or an army... an army of people who love their community and willing to put their backs on line to help it (uh yeah, the event involved a lot of bending over!) 

Add up all our efforts, and this is what we accomplished....