On Thursday, November 8, High School Musical star Corbin Bleu joined the Colgate-Palmolive Company and United Way at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Miami for a national campaign to promote good oral habits.  The day's main event was an upbeat dental challenge in the form of a game show.  Music, prizes and costumed characters were also at hand, as well as a Colgate mobile dental van, one of a group of eight “clinics on wheels” that the company supports around the country.

More than 250 students from the Coconut Grove Elementary School attended the event, all of whom were given the opportunity to avail of free dental screenings, treatment referrals and oral health information courtesy of the mobile clinic.

Corbin Bleu, known for playing Chad Danforth on High School Musical, co-hosted the game show with Colgate's Vice President of Global Oral Health and Professional Relations, Dr. Marsha Butler.  For the contest, the audience was divided into teams and tested on the best practices for maintaining good oral health.  Each member of the team that answers correctly were then rewarded, a la Deal or No Deal.

Butler talked about the importance of fighting tooth decay, and how Colgate has been working fervently to promote good oral hygiene and educate the youth and their families on how to achieve it.

“Over the past few years, we've hosted oral health festivals and awareness activities for children from LA to New York. We have a network of eight mobile dental vans that set up clinics in target areas and at cultural events across the United States,” Butler explained.  “Globally, we've also reached out to more than 500 million people in 80 countries, encouraging children to see their dentists and recruiting parents, teachers, and community and professional organizations…”

Meanwhile, Corbin Bleu explained his reasons for helping the company in their campaign, saying he realized the true value of good oral hygiene while he was on tour.

"When you think about meeting people at your school, in your neighborhood, from different states or even different countries, there's nothing more welcoming than a smile," the High School Musical star told the young audience.  "Traveling on tour, I've had an opportunity to see what a smile can do to put people at ease.  When I learned of the risks oral health disease presents, especially for kids in urban and rural areas, I wanted to help Colgate and United Way draw attention to the importance of maintaining good dental health."


-LIsa Claustro, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: PR Newswire
(Image Courtesy of Starpulse)