At a press conference Thursday in Miami, Colgate-Palmolive and the Hispanic Dental Association officially declared April "El Mes de la Salud Bucal: Un Mundo de Sonrisas Saludables" (Oral Health Month: A World of Healthy Smiles) as part of an ongoing commitment to quality oral care among the Hispanic community.
"Due to language barriers and lack of familiarity accessing oral healthcare services, among other factors, our Latino population shows greater deficiencies in overall oral healthcare," said Carla Kelly, general manager of multicultural marketing for Colgate-Palmolive, in a press release. "Colgate has a long tradition of serving Hispanics in their native countries; that strong alliance has been carried over to the U.S. Hispanic market; and we are proud to launch this global educational program for the very first time in the United States to specifically address our consumers' needs."
A 2007 study by the National Center for Health Statistics for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the U.S. Latino population has the lowest incidence of dental visits when compared to any other ethnicity and ranks the highest for untreated dental caries among children, Colgate noted.
Colgate will provide free dental screenings for disadvantaged children at select retailers throughout Miami, Los Angeles, Houston, and New Jersey as part of the Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures kids' initiative.
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