Baltimore Ravens Standout Brandon Carr Hosts Bright Smiles Kids Awards
On February 15th, more than 300 of Baltimore’s Arlington Elementary School students donned top hats and tiaras, boas and bow ties today to attend the Bright Smiles Kids Awards hosted by Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures in celebration of National Children’s Dental Health Month.
Strutting the red carpet, the students posed for “paparazzi” and shared how they keep their smiles healthy and bright. During the awards ceremony, special guest Brandon Carr, the Baltimore Raven’s veteran cornerback, addressed the gathering of children, teachers, community partners and dental professionals and helped present awards to the classes whose projects best communicated the importance of maintaining good dental habits.
“Knowledge is power,” Carr told the audience, “and today is not just about reminding you to take care of your teeth and gums. We want to recruit you to share what you learn here today with others. Your teeth your smile, they are precious. They are a big part of how you show yourself to the world.”
Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease of childhood. Left untreated, dental disease can affect a child’s physical development in the form of reduced body weight and interference with growth. It can also affect a child’s attention span, school attendance, and academic performance, leading to significant implications for his or her social development and future success. In 2015, Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures dedicated one of its mobile dental vans to the Baltimore area to provide free dental screenings, oral health education and treatment referrals to schools, head start programs, after school and recreational facilities, as well as at cultural festivals and other local events. Carr said his donation is intended to make sure every child has a chance at health and success.
Brandon Carr, center, veteran cornerback for the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens, joins Arlington Elementary School students on the red carpet at the first ever Bright Smiles Kids Awards hosted by Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures (BSBF) at the Marriott Waterfront Hotel on Friday, February 15, 2019 in Baltimore. Bright Smiles, Bright Futures is Colgate-Palmolive Company’s global oral health initiative for children ages 1-12. Since 1991, BSBF has reached more than one billion children in 80 countries with free dental screenings, oral heath education and treatment referrals. (Paul Morigi/AP Images for Colgate-Palmolive Company)