University of Louisville second-year dental student Kierra Dages is one of 11 dental students nationwide recognized for dedication to community service.

UofL News: Describe what life was like for you during the Bosnian war.

Ljaljevic-Tucakovic: Sarajevo is in a valley with mountains all around. The city was under siege, the enemy and snipers were everywhere. You really could not leave your house in the beginning, but when something like this lasts for years, you adjust and go on. At first, we stopped our lives but then we had to pick up and learn a new way of living.

I was in my second year of dental school when the war started. There was no electricity, and I studied by candlelight. Focusing on school was my escape, it is what kept me going. You have to connect to something to keep your sanity.

We were growing food in our park and food was deficient, there was sparse humanitarian aid, but we all shared what we had. We also didn’t have running water, but they were drilling pumps and you knew where to go to pump water. Containers at intersections were our cover from snipers, and it was a leap of faith to get the water because you never know if a grenade would strike. I prayed if it is my time to go, I would go quickly.

UofL News: How did you escape the city?

Ljaljevic-Tucakovic: My parents and I agreed that if I had a chance to leave, then I should leave. It was a very thought-out decision because when you left, you knew you couldn’t go back while the war was going on. The city was closed, but a tunnel had been dug under the Sarajevo airport that led to a small house on the other side. I had to bend myself to go through the 800-meter tunnel, and when you went through it, you were free. I left in September 1995, before an agreement was signed to end the war later that same year.

UofL News: What was the process of getting to the United States?

Ljaljevic-Tucakovic: I applied for a resettlement program in Croatia, and went through a very long process that involved interviews, paperwork and medical exams. After four months, I was able to get a visa to come to the United States. My cousin was a medical doctor working in research at the Brown Cancer Center and I stayed with her a few months before landing a job as a dental assistant at Pierce and Mitchell located in south Louisville. They trained me on the job.

UofL News: Talk about how you came to dental school at UofL.

Ljaljevic-Tucakovic: I went for a visit at the dental school and ran into faculty members Wood E. Currens and Anne Wells who encouraged me to apply for UofL’s DMD program. I was accepted, and during school I continued my relationship with Pierce and Mitchell, joining the practice as an associate after graduation in 2002.

UofL News: What made you come back to UofL as a faculty member?

Ljaljevic-Tucakovic: When I came to Louisville everyone accepted me and it was the same with the university – it mimics our city. In 2008, I was offered a faculty position. I really loved UofL and found a passion for teaching.

UofL News: Now you are leading the school’s Student Affairs Office. What is that like for you?

Ljaljevic-Tucakovic: I think of my life as having experienced a lot of luck that I could not have planned. In 2020, Dianne Foster retired from this position and Dean (Gerard) Bradley offered me the job. It feels as though I have come full circle. I was a student here, a clinical team leader and a member of the admissions committee both as a student and as a faculty member. The clinic is the heart of the school and because I understand how the clinic breathes, I am able to answer many questions of prospective and current students. As an administrator, I still work a half day each week in clinic, which gives me credibility with students and provides opportunity to keep teaching.

UofL News: You’ve faced a lot of adversity in your life, how has that affected you?

Ljaljevic-Tucakovic: I never thought of my life as difficult. I would not change anything in my life because it made me who I am. I think if things were different, I would regret it. The fact that I was able to finish my dental education and have had a great career – I would not change a thing.

UofL News: Talk about your impact on students.

Ljaljevic-Tucakovic: I love mentoring students. When I was a team leader, I got the sense when someone needed help – it was like being a clinical parent. Now as an administrator, I still try to connect. I love this office because we all have different perspectives. Our job is to help students succeed, and I am here to do just that. If they need me, I hope they know I am here for them.

UofL News:ĚýTell us how you first landed at UofL.

Margaret Hill:ĚýI’m from a little town in Eastern Kentucky – Ravenna. I’m a proud alumna of Estill County High School and I went to Eastern Kentucky University for my undergrad. I came to the UofL School of Dentistry partially because it just felt right. It was a good fit for me.Ěý

UofL News:ĚýYou’ve been part of the UofL community for more than 30 years as a student, faculty, associate dean and now interim dean. What has kept you here?Ěý

Hill:ĚýFor me, I think I can distill it down into something very simple. I am addicted to the magic that happens – and it usually happens at chair-side when there’s a student as the operator, a patient in the chair and a faculty member working together. The charge that you get in a clinical setting or the charge that you get when you’re in a didactic setting or a research setting, when students have that ‘aha’ moment and they get it. You have helped them understand a major concept, and especially if it was something that they were struggling with. It is one of the biggest thrills I’ve ever experienced in my life. I think most of us who are in the educational environment live for those moments. There’s such a sense of accomplishment and joy that you’re passing on what someone gave to you.

UofL News: Many people say the School of Dentistry is like a family. What do you think?

Hill:ĚýVery much so. This place is and has always been a family. It’s always felt like family to me. Sometimes it’s quantifiable in the ways that we support each other, and sometimes it’s just that sense of knowing that others are here for you and here to support you, and they’re interested in your success.

We want our graduates to be able to be the best, safe, competent, confident, beginning dental professional they can possibly be. Everything we do is oriented toward that. There’s no decision that is made that isn’t oriented toward that at its fundamental, basic level. We want our students to be successful.Ěý

UofL News:ĚýThinking back to when you were in dental school, what is one great piece of advice from a faculty member that has stuck with you?

Hill:ĚýWe lost Dr. Tom O’Toole recently, and I’ve thought a lot about the contributions he made for all of us who were able to work with him in a clinical or classroom setting. He was a remarkable example of somebody who had such an excellent sense of human nature. I believe that in today’s language we would say he had a very high emotional intelligence.

He taught me so much about working with people, including children. He was a pediatric dentist, and so many of the things that he taught were focused in working with pediatric patients, but it can be applied to people of all ages. He never talked down to children, they just weren’t as knowledgeable as somebody who was a little bit older. And he treated everyone with respect. I use his advice every day.

UofL News: Could you ever have imagined that you’d end up serving as interim dean?

Hill:ĚýNot in a million years. I feel like I represent every woman who has ever gone through this institution. I feel like I represent every woman who’s ever worked for this institution. It’s really important for us in our history, and I can’t tell you what a privilege it is to be able to be the first woman to serve in this position.Ěý

UofL News: What are your goals as the current leader of the School of Dentistry?

Hill:ĚýMy goal is to stay on track with many of the initiatives that Dr. Bradley has started and continued in some cases. We’re not moving away from any of those things. We have a tremendous team assembled, and I have the privilege to work with many individuals dedicated to making sure we educate the best safe, competent dental professionals that we can educate.

My other goal is to continue to work toward our site visit from the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) that’s coming up in 2023. It’s really important that we are successful. We are actively in preparation for all of the self-study that has to be done prior to accreditation, and it’s going very well.

I am truly honored that Dr. Bradley chose me to lead the school at this time, and I am fully committed to continuing its legacy of 135 years of excellence in patient care, education and research.

Ěý

UofL News: Talk about your home country and how you came to the United States.

Jake Do: I was born and raised in Saigon, Vietnam. Vietnam contains 63 different cities/provinces, each with its own unique cuisine. The food is always fresh, fruits always sweet and coffee always strong. When I was midway through high school, my family’s application got accepted, and we officially became permanent U.S. residents. We knew we would miss Vietnam’s beautiful beaches and people, but we decided to move to America mostly because of the better education and career opportunities.

UofL News: Eventually you ended up here in Louisville and became a patient of the School of Dentistry. Tell us about that experience.Ěý

Jake Do: My relatives are all in Louisville, so when my family first moved to America, Louisville was naturally our new home. My uncle was already here and helped my family with our green card applications and with our adjustment to a new country.

I joined a program called AHEC, as recommended by my aunt. Through the program, I took some science classes and went to different universities in Louisville, so it was the perfect opportunity to get used to the language and the city. It was then that I was introduced to the School of Dentistry and was able to shadow Sherry Babbage because I mentioned an interest in dentistry. It was such an amazing experience that I also signed up to be her patient.

UofL News: Describe Sherry Babbage’s influence on you and your family.ĚýĚý

Jake Do: During our first year in America, my father had a serious cavity, but going to a dental office was never high on his priority list, considering he had not been able to find a job or a place to stay. (We were still living with my uncle’s family at the time.) When I finally convinced him to visit Dr. Babbage, the cavity was so big that she had to pull the tooth.

At the time, I knew nothing about health insurance. My uncle managed to get my family covered, but he did not fully explain the system, especially the part that unlike Vietnam, dental is separate from health insurance. So, my father was responsible for the full charge. After learning about our situation Dr. Babbage said, “No charge,” and refused to take the money. I remembered having tears in my eyes at that time, not just because my father had an extraction for free, but also because I thought, “This, this is the kind of dentist I want to become.” It was Dr. Babbage who turned my mild interest in dentistry into determination.

UofL News: Ultimately, you decided to pursue dental education and applied to the UofL School of Dentistry. What was that experience like for you?

Jake Do: The first step I took to pursue a dental education was applying for ULEAD, a guaranteed entrance program to the School of Dentistry. I was so excited when I got invited to an interview, then I was devastated when I did not get accepted. Dr. Babbage was a faculty member of the program and explained to me what I still needed to work on and convinced me not to give up.

After a year of shadowing Dr. Babbage, she commented that I was becoming more outgoing and asked if I felt more confident in myself. It sounds like a joke now, but at the time, I kept thinking how could I become a dentist if I was more afraid of the patients than they were of me. Mostly, I was afraid of not understanding the patients and of them laughing at my accent.

Dr. Babbage kept my hopes up by acknowledging my struggle and progress in tackling my weakness. When I applied for dental school again in my junior year, I was more mature and prepared, so the interview, albeit virtual, went much more smoothly. For my second attempt, instead of a rejection letter, I received a call to let me know I had been accepted. I stayed up all night from the excitement.

UofL News: You’re now going into your second year as a dental student. Describe the challenges you’ve faced this year and how you’ve overcome them.

Jake Do: As a D2, I am starting to assist D3s and D4s in the dental clinic, directly interacting with patients. There are still lots of awkward silences and miscommunications, but I am glad to have three more years to improve my communication skills in a learning environment. I am learning how faculty members and students in upper classes interact with patients in the clinic, such as asking them how they would like to be addressed, how the drive to the school was or if they have any family in the city.

UofL News: What is your career goal?

Jake Do: Dr. Babbage inspired me to be a dentist like her, to work not for money but for the community, not to open a dental office, but to open a dental home, specifically for those who do not normally expect to get dental care. It is going to have income-based rates, translation services, as well as acceptance of all insurance plans, including Medicaid and Medicare.

I also hope to help my Vietnamese community in Louisville as one of the few dentists in the city who speaks Vietnamese. In Vietnam, the general mentality is that you only go to the dental office when you are in pain, and there is no such thing as 6-month dental check-ups. My parents’ current diagnosis of periodontitis are indications that mindsets need to be changed.

UofL News: Anything else you’d like to share?

Jake Do: I could not stress enough the importance of finding a mentor in the field that you want to pursue. Summer health programs are great ways to connect aspiring students with doctors and graduate students. I was able to become a qualified and competent candidate for the dental school thanks to Dr. Babbage and the newly graduated dentists I met through the programs who were always willing to answer my questions and provide details about the necessary preparations for dental schools.

The new site also gives dental students a community site near Louisville to learn alongside a full-time licensed dentist. School of Dentistry Interim Dean Margaret Hill says it is important for these future health care providers to grow their skills in a variety of settings outside the school.ĚýĚýĚý

“As our students travel to other parts of Kentucky, they are maturing into culturally competent dental practitioners,” Hill said. “We build service into the educational experience, not just on a volunteer level but as a part of the curriculum,” Hill said.ĚýĚýĚý

In recent years, the school opened a clinical rotation site in Paducah through a collaboration with West Kentucky Community and Technical College. UofL also sends students to Beverly, Kentucky, located in the eastern part of the state, to learn with a dentist at the Red Bird Dental Clinic. ĚýĚýĚý

Pallavi Patil is an alumna of the School of Dentistry and the full-time dentist at UofL’s Shelbyville dental office. Patil says she looks forward to mentoring students and building relationships with patients. ĚýĚýĚý

“I think it’s important to establish a good rapport and trust between doctor and patient. This helps patients feel comfortable and motivated throughout their comprehensive dental care,” she said.ĚýĚýĚýĚý

The new dental practice offers affordable dental care, and financial assistance may be available to those in need, thanks to the dental school’s Compassionate Care fund. This fund has helped numerous patients of the school pay for treatment. Donors to Compassionate Care include individuals and several organizations, including the Delta Dental of Kentucky Foundation. The foundation also has committed to help pay initial start-up costs at the Shelbyville site, making dental care even more economical for people in the region.ĚýĚýĚýĚý

The is in close proximity to UofL Health – Shelbyville Hospital and other health care providers.ĚýĚýĚý

Hill says in addition to serving new patients, the practice hopes to attract those who currently or previously traveled to the School of Dentistry for care. ĚýĚýĚý

“For some of these folks, it’s very difficult to make a trip to downtown Louisville – so this will save them time and money,” she said. “It’s all about improving access to care.”ĚýĚý

View the from the ribbon cutting event.Ěý

Paige Moore with the School of Dentistry contributed to this article.

After completing undergraduate studies at Indiana University, where he was part of the top-ranked men’s swimming team, Tavčar started dental school at ULSD in 2018. He says a career in dentistry is a natural fit for his personality.

“I love meeting people from all walks of life and getting to help them with their problems,” he said. “In addition, I love the dynamic nature of dentistry. There are so many different procedures you can do, there are different ways you can go about the same procedure and there is always more to learn. The amount of knowledge there is in dentistry is a bottomless pit, and I love diving into it head first.”

Although it might not seem like competitive swimming and dentistry have much in common, Tavčar sees a link: “One of the main things that differentiates great athletes from the herd is that you actively think about what you’re doing and trying to improve yourself every single day, rather than just going through the motions. Dentistry follows a similar pattern.”

Years of competitive swimming also prepared TavÄŤar for the rigors of dental school.

“It taught me how hard work and repetition go a long way. When you’re trying to shave a tenth of a second off of your time, you have to repeat the swim over and over again and look at each one of them in an excruciating amount of detail,” he said.Ěý “On my way to becoming a dentist, I translate what swimming has taught me in knowing that repetition is key.”

As for this year’s Olympics, Tavčar will not be glued to the TV screen watching coverage from Toyko over the next two weeks.

“I find most sports boring to watch,” he said. “Competing at a sport and watching one are very different.” However, he might tune in for one event, the men’s 100 freestyle, “just to see how my personal best time stacks up with this year’s competition.”

After graduating with a Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry degree next spring, TavÄŤar does not plan to return to Slovenia.

“I have been in the states for 8 years now, have gotten married and created a life for myself. While I love my home country, there’s no reason for me to walk away from everything I worked so hard to build here,” he said.Ěý

He might even stay at ULSD a bit longer, extending his training through the general practice residency.

“There is more to dentistry than I ever could have imagined, and I believe I owe it to my future patients to educate myself to the highest level possible,” he said. “I don’t just want to be a dentist. I want to be a great dentist.”

Hicks was the school’s second African American student (Harold Howard had graduated the year prior), and the first African American female. After leading a successful dental practice, Hicks returned to UofL, where she serves as a role model and mentor. She shares insights about her life experiences through this Q&A.

Please describe your experience as a student at the UofL School of Dentistry.ĚýĚý

The first day of school, I was not aware that I would be the only African American student. I had graduated from Indiana University at Bloomington where there was a good mix of students. It had not occurred to me that I would feel the isolation that I felt those first few weeks in dental school. I believe the experience at Fisk University, an historically Black university, where a strong sense of the strength and the abilities of Black people, together with my success at IU prepared me to thrive at ULSD in these special circumstances.

I was the first African American person with whom many of my classmates ever had a one-on-one conversation. It took two years before some of my classmates realized that I was a really good student. At the same time, I also had the respect and friendship of many of my classmates early on. We will celebrate our 45^th reunion this year. This should have happened in 2020, so it is now 46 years that we have been dentists!

What is most memorable about your time as a student at the School of Dentistry?Ěý

The most memorable time while in school was when my husband and I welcomed our son into the world, during my junior year. I think I was the first female student to have a child while in school.

The second most memorable event was the day I learned I had the highest score on our final examination in endodontics. It was a tough exam. My classmates were upset that I set the curve so high. I was stunned. Dr. Mendel, our course director, wanted to know if I wanted him to help me get into a graduate program. I declined. I enjoyed all of dentistry and did not want to specialize. At that time, I also thought it would have been difficult for an African American endodontist to get enough referrals from the dental community to sustain a practice.

Do you consider yourself a trailblazer?

I believe my success in school may have made it a little easier for those who followed me. Some instructors initially had some reservations about how well I would do. We tried to help underclassmen who followed with tips to help them succeed with lab work, along with discussions about life. After I graduated, several students shadowed me or completed their Area Health łÉČËÖ±˛Ą Centers experience in my office.

What challenges did you face and overcome as a dentist?Ěý

The biggest challenge when I started my practice was to educate my patients on the benefits of prevention and retention of teeth with periodontal and endodontic care. Most African American patients were accustomed to coming to the dentist when they had a tooth ache. By then, they expected, and many times needed an extraction. We used lots of aids, videos, etc., to change this mindset.

Tell us about your career in private practice.ĚýĚý

I set up my practice in the Doctor’s Office Building at 250 East Liberty. It was one of the nicest medical professional buildings in the city at the time. I wanted to set a different level of expectation for my patients. Most offices had been above drug stores or other smaller locations. I stayed there for 11 years.

In those early days, sometimes patients would question if I had enough strength to ‘pull’ a tooth. We also faced some racial prejudice from both white and Black patients who did not know that I was African American before arriving to their appointment. I also learned that I was seeing as many patients for similar procedures as white practitioners, but made less money. The majority of our patients had insurance plans that compensated less than ‘fee for service’ that many white dentists were able to require.

In 1986, I purchased an office building on East Broadway. The practice had an integrated office staff and patient pool. My patients were like family. One thing about general practice that is different from a specialty practice is that you see your patients, their children and their grandchildren over the years. I miss those relationships today.

In 2004, you stepped back through the doors of the dental school to become a part-time faculty member. What inspired you to return to the school?Ěý

I have always wanted to teach the next generation of dentists. I come from a family of educators. Our dinner conversations often involved discussions about how to help children learn. My parents were committed to making a difference in their student’s lives.ĚýI wanted to do the same.

Talk about your role as a mentor for students of color. How do you admonish and encourage their success?Ěý

I love to encourage and assist all students, but I have walked alongside many African American students over the years. Sometimes, we have helped them solve family-related issues, such as a need to find a babysitter. Other times, I have helped with dental projects in dental anatomy, restorative work, etc.Ěý

I have been a mentor and encourager. I want students to know that dental school is hard, but they can meet the goals. What seems hard today, will be gone tomorrow. Faculty are here to help them succeed. Ask for help when you need it. When things are scary, feel the fear and do it anyway, you will be on the other side of the trial soon enough.

What general advice do you have for today’s dental students?Ěý

Learn from each instructor. We may use a different technique or instrument to solve the same problem. Know that when your instructors challenge you to think about how to solve a problem, we are helping you to be independent, thoughtful clinicians. We challenge you here so that this process will be automatic when you are all on your own – think critically!

What do you hope will be your lasting legacy?Ěý

I hope history will see me as a person of color who helped to level the field in dental education. I hope I am an example to other African American students, showing them that they, too, can face difficult situations and succeed. I hope I have helped patients with excellent dental education and care. We have not won everyone over, but many apprehensive patients have become excited or at least know what to expect when they once were apprehensive.

I hope I have influenced students to lend a hand to the next generation, to give by service through community and international missions, to know that we should continue to learn and grow for a lifetime. Have a well-rounded life, with interests outside of dentistry.

Anything else you’d like to share?Ěý

I have a concern for the degree of depression, anxiety and fear of the ‘next step,’ that many young people are experiencing today. If you are in a dark place that you don’t seem to be able to rise above, seek medical advice. But many times, there is an attitude, a way of thinking about yourself in relation to a difficult problem that can change. It seems that often students think the solution is all totally on their shoulders, and don’t see a way out of the problem.

When I have faced difficult times, I never felt like I was all alone. I have trusted that God will be with me, guiding me, walking with me through the storm. The situation will pass. The problem may not be solved the way that I originally thought, but we will press on and succeed.

The awards ceremony recognizes high achieving graduates based on their merit and contributions to the community. Each year, one alumna or alumnus of the year is selected along with 13 Alumni Fellows from each of the schools, colleges, libraries, and student affairs.Ěý

Alumna of the Year

• Jenny L. Sawyer ’78,Ěýexecutive director ofĚýadmissionsĚýat the University of Louisville.

Alumni Fellows

• Brandeis School of Law
  Edwin S. Hopson, Sr. ’67, ’69, partner atĚýWyatt, Tarrant and Combs.
• College of Arts and Sciences
  George Nichols, III ’85,Ěýpresident and chief executive officer of the American College of Financial Services.
• College of Business
  Raymond E. Loyd ’68, founder of Derby Industries and Derby Fabricating.
• College of łÉČËÖ±˛Ą and Human Development
  Linda F. Hargan ’71, ’73, ’93,Ěýfounder, president, and chief executive officer emeritus of CTL.
• J. B. Speed School of Engineering
  Gerald G. Hubbs ’64, ’76, retired vice president and director of engineering at the Brown-Forman Corporation.Ěý
• Kent School of Social Work
  Ruby Gordon ’66, ’72, former social worker with JCPS and Hillebrand House.
• School of Dentistry
  Karen L. Pierce-West ’77, ’82,Ěýdean and professor of biomedical sciences at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas School of Dental Medicine.
• School of Medicine
  Shawn C. Jones ’82, ’86, ’93,Ěýfounder of Purchase ENT, an ENT-otolaryngologist specialty group in Paducah, Kentucky.Ěý
• School of Music
  John M. Hoover ’63, ’69, former director of bands at the University of Louisville.
• School of Nursing
  Flora Ponder ’87, former head nurse at the Louisville and Jefferson County Health Department and director of nurses at the Park-Duvalle Community Health Center.Ěý
• School of Public Health and Information Sciences
  Lewatis D. McNeal ’16,Ěýassistant dean of administration of inclusive excellence and special projects at Northern Kentucky University.
• Student Affairs
  Todd A. Schmiedeler ’97,ĚýTrilogy Health Service’s senior vice president of Foundation & Workforce Development and founder and president of Thumbprint Consulting.
• University Libraries
  Morris M. Weiss Jr. ’58, cardiologist with Medical Center Cardiologists and clinical professor of medicine in cardiology at the University of Louisville.

This year’s awardees will be honored at the 2019 Alumni Awards ceremony October 24.

In the study, published in the , about three-quarters of parents surveyed underestimated the total amount of sugar in foods commonly found in the diets of children: orange juice, pizza, yogurt, ketchup, granola bars and more. The biggest divergences occurred in foods thought to be “healthful”; for example, more than 90 percent of the 305 study participants underestimated the amount of sugar found in yogurt by an average of 60 percent.

More concerning was the fact that parents’ misjudgments tended to be related to their children’s body weight. Those children with the highest body mass index tended to have parents who made the greatest misjudgments of sugar content.

medical director of the , and Ěýof the UofL , aren’t surprised. It is a situation they see virtually every day in their practices.

“This happens quite a bit,” said Felton, who is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). “Parents simply don’t know how much sugar is in the food they feed to their children. They believe they are feeding healthy meals and can’t understand why their child is overweight.

“Generally speaking, you should limit your younger child’s intake of added sugar to 12-16 grams a day – that’s about 3-4 teaspoons. For pre-teens and teens, it should be no more than 8 teaspoons.”

Although the German study only examined medical health and sugar underestimation, Martinez says the problem is a contributing factor to dental problems as well.

“Sugar contributes to tooth decay,” Martinez said. “If left untreated tooth decay can be painful — and painful teeth will affect a child’s performance in school.”

Preventing cavities and decay is the first line of defense, he said. Martinez also urges parents to find a dental home for their child, and schedule a dental exam, cleaning and fluoride treatment. For children experiencing extreme decay, the UofL School of Dentistry offers Silver Diamine Flouride, a 58-percent solution that stops decay in its tracks.

Both Martinez and Felton echo a point made in the study: Food labeling needs improvement. The study authors recommend a “traffic-light system”: a red dot on the label for high sugar content and a green one for minimal sugar.Ěý

“Food labels can be confusing because they list ingredients in terms of percentages of daily recommended values,” Felton said. “Parents may read that a container of yogurt has 25 grams of sugar, but they often do not know how that should fit into their child’s diet.

“Plus, parents are busy and don’t have time to thoroughly read labels, let alone keep track of how many grams of sugar their children consume in a given day. A simpler labeling system would help enormously.”

For now, the providers recommend that parents “assume that there is too much sugar in food and try to cut back where you can,” Felton said. “Instead of buying yogurt with fruit or other flavorings already in it, for example, buy plain yogurt and add your own fresh fruit to it. Don’t add sugar to the breakfast cereal you give to your children. Serve them water or milk instead of highly sweetened juices or sodas.”

“The worse thing parents can do is allow their children to drink juice or anything other than water in a sippy cup all day, which disrupts the ph balance of the mouth,” Martinez said. Better, he says, to drink juice or milk in one sitting rather than over the course of several hours.

Martinez and Felton also reminded parents of released a year ago by the AAP. ĚýThe recommendations urge parents, when possible, to feed their children whole fruit rather than juice, where fiber and other nutrition can be gained. And, the Academy has reduced the quantity of fruit juice for children according to age:

• No juice for children younger than 12 months.
• 1-3 years – Limit fruit juice to a maximum of 4 ounces per day (1/2 cup)
• 4-6 years – No more than 4-6 ounces (1/2 cup –Ěý Âľ cup)
• 7-18 years – Limit juice to 8 ounces per day (1 cup)

Following these guidelines will at least limit sugar intake and help lead to healthier smiles and bodies, Martinez said.

Dental students looked for signs of dental decay and cavities, and notified parents or legal guardians about the findings. School of Dentistry staff are following-up with parents of children with urgent needs to schedule treatment appointments.

In addition to the screenings, dental hygiene students visited classrooms at each of the six Jefferson County Public Schools – providing oral health education to about 2,000 children. The dental hygiene students explained how to properly brush and floss, and talked with children about the importance of visiting a dentist and how to make healthy snack and drink choices.

The JCPS Academic Support Services and Family Resource Coordinators and Health Services collaborated with UofL on the effort, along with many community partners including the , Rob Arnold and , , , , , and Tyler Village Subway.