Students at Rolesville Elementary School will receive special training in dental health this month.
Sheriff Tuffy Tooth will visit the kindergarten classes on Thursday, February 15 from noon to three in the media center. Sheriff Tuffy Tooth, a specially designed "Talking Tooth" will interact with the children, teaching them about proper dental care.

Sheriff's sidekicks will help too. T-Man, BB Bicuspid and Wizard of the Pearly Whites will use larger than life tools to clean some teeth. A toothbrush, floss, toothpaste, a dental mirror, a dental pick, a banana in a holster and a saddle bag filled with fruit will all help to illustrate the importance of healthy teeth.

This is all part of RAH for Rolesville (Really Awesome Health), a health education program sponsored by Raleigh Community Hospital. The hospital has teamed up with the Alice Aycock Poe Center for Health Education to provide this yearlong health education program to the students at Rolesville. Throughout the year students have received education in programs such as nutrition, dental health, heart health, brainpower and much more. The program teaches children in an interactive, fun way. "One of the most important ways to improve children's health and their performance in school is to improve their lifestyle behaviors," said Julie McQueen, Director of Education for the Poe Center.

The American Dental Association Foundation awarded the RAH program additional funding to provide the dental health training for all of the students. Each grade level will receive dental health education in February, dental health month. "Many of us take our smiles for granted. It is important to care for your teeth in order to have a beautiful smile," said Carla Parker Hollis, vice president of Marketing and Development for Raleigh Community Hospital.