Threatening weather doesn’t dampen The L.A. Trust Tooth Fairy Event

The L.A. Trust Tooth Fairy Event February 22 included fun, prizes, education and free dental screenings from The L.A. Trust’s allies and partners.

A record number of Angelenos ignored impending rain to attend The L.A. Trust Tooth Fairy Event, February 22, 2020, part of the Los Angeles Unified School District’s annual Health and Wellness Festival & 5K at Dodger Stadium.

The L.A. Trust event was presented with the UCLA-led consortium More LA Smiles and supported by silver sponsors Big Smiles Dental, Delta Dental, Liberty Dental Plan Companies and the office of L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas. Also sponsoring the event were Access Dental, America’s ToothFairy (NCOHF), Cedars-Sinai COACH for Kids Dental, East West Bank and Patterson Dental.

Hundreds of Festival attendees participated in The L.A. Trust Tooth Fairy Event, which included fun, prizes, free dental screenings and information booths hosted by L.A.’s leading oral healthcare organizations. In partnership with Sesame Street in Communities, the event also included a special appearance by Cookie Monster from Sesame Street. “Potter the Otter” (Nina Nguyen and Lillian Orta of The L.A. Trust) entertained dozens of small children by reading a storybook about the benefits of drinking water.

On the main stage

Executive Director Maryjane Puffer of The L.A. Trust reprised her role as L.A.’s unofficial Tooth Fairy, appearing on the Health and Wellness Festival main stage along with Program Manager Esther Yepez, who helped organize the Tooth Fairy Event.

“The sun really shone on this event,” said Yepez . “Not only did we have a record number of partners and visitors, we helped provide dental screenings to LAUSD students and parents and spread the word about the importance of early oral healthcare,” she said. “Even the weather cooperated.”

The L.A. Trust Tooth Fairy event, now in its fifth year, is one of the biggest public oral health awareness events in Los Angeles, noted Stella Kim, associate program director. “The L.A. Trust is committed to improving the dental health of our kids and proud to stage this event bringing the public and the dental healthcare community together.”

A ground-breaking year for The L.A. Trust and its partners in student health

Maryjane Puffer joined students and community leaders at the groundbreaking for a new Student and Family Wellness Center at Mendez Learning Center December 15.

The year 2019 was a busy one for The Los Angeles Trust and its partners, and 2020 will be busier still. Thanks to its partners and stakeholders, last year The L.A. Trust:

• Made final preparations for the launch of its ground-breaking Data xChange initiative, which will link confidential Wellness Center data with academic performance numbers to improve outcomes on both.

• Supported LAUSD’s growing network of Student and Family Wellness Centers, helped dedicate new clinics at Santee Education Complex and other schools, and hosted two Learning Collaboratives where clinicians received critical data and best practices on student healthcare.

• Provided oral health education and partnered with More L.A. Smiles to provide free dental screenings and interventions to thousands of kindergartners and third-graders at LAUSD elementary schools.

• Supported anti-vaping and substance use education efforts across the District, assisting student outreach and hosting a Vaping 101 webinar series for clinicians and others.

• Hosted a Youth2Youth Summit engaging 100 student health advocates and their adult allies from across the District.
  

• Presented recipes, nutrition and food-shopping advice at more than 50 classroom and community events as part of the CalFresh Health Living initiative.

• Worked with UCSF research staff on the development and delivery of the “Health-E You/Salud iTu,” an app-based contraception awareness program focused on Latina youth. The program resulted in a 117% increase in the use of Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptives (results will be published in leading health journals this year).

• Partnered with leading healthcare organizations and announced important new program grants, driving the organization’s mission through 2021.

• Hired new staff, including Marsha Ellis as director of programs; Rob Wray as associate director of communications and media; Mackenzie Scott as student engagement coordinator; and Danielle Griffin as student engagement assistant.

2020 vision

“We had a great 2019,” said Executive Director Maryjane Puffer, “and we have laid the groundwork for a truly breakthrough year in 2020.” 

She said The L.A. Trust has a new strategic plan, a new logo and a new mission statement: “Bridging the worlds of health and education to achieve student wellness.”

“We also have our first vision statement,” Puffer stated. “It’s ‘A world where every student is healthy and successful.’ We have always stood for this, but this is our northstar and it’s important to share it.”

Puffer said The L.A. Trust will reintroduce itself in the spring with a new website and a new awareness campaign. “The L.A. Trust believes nothing is more important to the future of our country than the health of our kids. In 2020, we will be better positioned than ever to help advance student health where it’s needed most.”