GO Team Visit to Central Baghdad Elementary School

Event: Dental Hygiene Awareness for Iraqi Children
GO Team Trip Leader: Jonathan Shradar
February 1, 2007

The event was held in a Central Baghdad elementary school teaching grades 1 through 6. Some ten volunteers from the U.S. Military and State Department were led by Dr. Yasir Bahrani an Iraqi-American dentist serving as a political and military advisor for the U.S. Embassy in Iraq. Dr. Bahrani has participated in the Give Kids a Smile campaign in the States and worked to bring that opportunity to Iraqi children as well.

With materials donated by Colgate and other sponsors each student was given a new toothbrush and toothpaste along with a calendar to help them mark their progress in brushing during the month ahead. Dr. Bahrani was joined by a local Baghdad dentist and together they instructed the students on the basics of dental hygiene. The children also named the puppets used during the talks; the alligator name was BOBO and the puppy was DEDE.

Discussion for 1st to 3rd grade was mainly focused on introducing them to the dentist and painting a friendly picture of the dentist. They also talked about functions of teeth, how many sets of teeth each person will have, ways to keep the teeth nice and pretty, how to brush. The kids then came up and demonstrated the correct method of brushing.

The discussion for the 4th to 6th grade included what was discussed above but more in depth. Discussion included flossing, how to floss, what is a cavity, how to prevent it, how to treat it and what kind of teeth there are (incisors, canine, premolars, molars etc).

Some 800 students took part in the February 1 event. This was truly an Iraqi-American event. Dr. Bahrani helped the Iraqi dentist perform the event. The medical facility near the school is being renovated now and in few weeks should be operational so that the children can get medical and dental care.

Event Photos and Captions provided by Jonathan Shradar, U.S. Embassy GO Team, Baghdad, Iraq, February 1, 2007.

Click on images for larger versions

Gifts: A U.S. Statement volunteer hands out a new tooth brush and tube of Colgate tooth paste to students at a central Baghdad elementary school.	Sam's Boys: Sam Hill  with the U.S. State Department poses with a few of his new friends during a Give Kids a Smile event at a Baghdad elementary school.	Bright Student: An Iraqi student gives her recommendations of how many times to brush your teeth each day.	Front Row: Students thank the U.S. Military and State Department volunteers that distributed a new tooth brush and tooth paste donated by Colgate.