| 1 | House Resolution |
| 2 | A resolution recognizing April 7, 2010, as "Dentists' Day |
| 3 | on the Hill." |
| 4 |
|
| 5 | WHEREAS, the Florida Dental Association, a statewide |
| 6 | professional membership organization representing nearly 7,000 |
| 7 | licensed dentists in this state, was established in 1884 to |
| 8 | advance the public health through professional education and |
| 9 | public advocacy while promoting high practice standards and |
| 10 | improving the professional practice environment, and |
| 11 | WHEREAS, studies suggest that good oral health may help |
| 12 | prevent heart disease, arterial blockage, stroke, diabetes, |
| 13 | preterm delivery, low-birth weight babies, and bacterial |
| 14 | pneumonia, and |
| 15 | WHEREAS, the Florida Dental Association is promoting |
| 16 | "Dentistry: Gateway to Good Health" to emphasize that oral |
| 17 | health is linked to a person's overall health, and |
| 18 | WHEREAS, the Florida Dental Association has developed |
| 19 | "Mouth Wise," a dental health education kit for elementary |
| 20 | students designed to give children a basic understanding of |
| 21 | their teeth, mouths, and gums, the importance of preventive |
| 22 | dentistry, and the relationship of preventive dentistry to |
| 23 | overall health care, and |
| 24 | WHEREAS, the Florida Dental Association has also developed |
| 25 | a "Mouth Wise" dental health education kit for middle school |
| 26 | students to teach the importance of dental health care, focusing |
| 27 | on nutrition and soda consumption, the use of mouth guards and |
| 28 | smokeless tobacco, and oral piercing, and |
| 29 | WHEREAS, in 1996, the Florida Dental Association joined |
| 30 | efforts with the Department of Health's Volunteer Health Care |
| 31 | Provider Program to create "Project: Dentists' Care," a dental- |
| 32 | access program that, in 2009, provided care for underserved |
| 33 | adults and children statewide for an estimated $5.9 million in |
| 34 | donated services, and |
| 35 | WHEREAS, in February 2010, dentists in Florida volunteered |
| 36 | dental services for the annual "Give Kids A Smile" event, NOW, |
| 37 | THEREFORE, |
| 38 |
|
| 39 | Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of |
| 40 | Florida: |
| 41 |
|
| 42 | That April 7, 2010, is recognized as "Dentists' Day on the |
| 43 | Hill." |
| 44 | BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be |
| 45 | presented to the Florida Dental Association as a tangible token |
| 46 | of the sentiments expressed herein. |