“Miles for Smiles” Road Race to support Dental Health Projects
with Healthy Acadia hosted by Island Medical Center
What: “Miles for Smiles” Road Race - 5K Walk/Run and 1-Mile Fun Run
Where: Dental Associates, 325 Main Street, Ellsworth
When: Saturday, May 10; Registration at 9am and Race at 10am
Cost: $15 for 5K Walk/Run and $5 for 1-Mile Fun Run
Island Medical Center in Stonington is pleased to host a road race, “Miles for Smiles,” to support Dental Health Projects with Healthy Acadia. The race will take place on Saturday May 10 at Dental Associates, 325 Main Street in Ellsworth. Registration will open at 9am and the race will start at 10am.
Island Medical Center is working with other regional partners on a Downeast Dental Access Team, facilitated by Healthy Acadia. The group is dedicated to increasing access to dental health and providing oral health education across Hancock and Washington Counties. Proceeds from the “Miles for Smiles” Road Race will support the group’s dental health projects.
“We are excited to host this race to raise awareness about dental health and to support dental health access and education projects,” stated Dr. Wendy Alpaugh, dentist at Island Medical Center. “Preventing oral diseases like cavities and gum disease makes so much sense. Healthy teeth help us eat a healthy diet, speak clearly, and smile with comfort. And keeping teeth healthy is much less costly than having them repaired or having gum treatments.”
One of the group’s current projects is raising awareness about the importance of oral health for pregnant women and infants. “Pregnancy is a critical stage to stop the spread of germs that cause tooth decay,” stated Sandie Dubay of Healthy Acadia. “If a mother has a healthy mouth, her infant is more likely to have a healthy mouth. The decay-producing bacteria can spread from a parent to the baby. This can lead to early childhood cavities - a costly health problem which is often painful and embarrassing for the young child. It is important for parents to take good care of their own teeth as well as the teeth of their babies, and to see providers regularly. Finding dental health problems early makes treatment easier and less costly, and best of all is preventing problems before they start!”
For more information or to register for the “Miles for Smiles” road race, contact Amanda at Island Medical Center: 367-2631 orislanddentalctr@myfairpoint.
