April 7, 2007

Malonso Family Dental gives free dental screenings to Matsumoto kindergartners

The husband and wife dental duo of Robert and Jessica Malonso pitched in recently to promote dental health by providing free dental screenings to 120 kindergartners at Tom Matsumoto Elementary School on April 2.

Dr. Robert Malonso gives a dental screening to a Matsumoto kindergartener on April 2.

The visit came on the heels of an earlier visit to the school by the Malonsos in February, when the couple talked to Matsumoto first graders and kindergartners about dental health. February is National Children’s Dental Health Month.

The reason behind the April 2 visit, said Jessica Malonso, was to provide the kids with a basic screening for cavities and to comply with a new state law in place this year that requires all children be assessed by a licensed dental professional by May 31 of their first school year. The law, according to Jessica Malonso, is a boon for children’s health because it encourages early dental care. In addition, she said, early exposure to experiences at the dentist make children less fearful of future visits, leading to more positive associations with dental care, and reduces the occurrence of major dental care as the children get older.

“It was great. I love kindergartners,” Jessica Malonso said of the April 2 visit. “It was basically just a quick screening to look for cavities, a visual. But, it’s also a good reminder for kids to see the dentist early.”

— By Diego Abeloos

For more information about Malonso Family Dental, located at 4095 Evergreen Villages Square, Suite 120, call (408) 528-0530.