When students at Loveland Primary School see a unicorn, monkey, or dinosaur puppet come into their classroom wearing braces or expanders, they know it’s going to be a fun day.
The puppets are part of a hands-on oral health presentation from Northeast Orthodontic Specialists, where Dr. Jacob Stadiem and his team visit second graders at local schools throughout the year to teach students about healthy smiles. At the heart of each presentation is NOS’s “7 & Up” campaign, which focuses on educating families about the importance of early orthodontic screenings and debunking the idea that children should only start seeing an orthodontist after all their baby teeth have fallen out.
“We’re working on educating both kids and parents that children should be screened by an orthodontist at the age of 7,” explains NOS Marketing Manager Laura Bennoitt. “By 7 years old, children have enough permanent teeth for an orthodontist to detect and potentially treat jaw or teeth alignment issues.”
Rather than presenting in a gymnasium, the NOS team rotates classroom by classroom, making it a more personalized experience.
Each in-school session has a natural flow, discussing the importance of dental hygiene, ways NOS can help take care of kids’ teeth, and how important good hygiene is.
“We explain the difference between a dentist and an orthodontist, and talk about how we partner together to make their smiles healthy and happy,” Laura says. “We talk about expanders, usually at least one kid in the class either has one or know someone who does. We talk about what a consultation consists of: X-rays, pictures of their teeth and smile, time with Dr. Stadiem.”
Props, like the puppets, help students see why braces or expanders may be needed, how they work, and show that visits can be friendly and comfortable.
Kids who don’t need early intervention can join NOS’s “Orange & Blue Crew,” visiting twice a year to monitor growth at no cost until treatment begins.
Every presentation ends with a Q&A session.
“That’s usually the most entertaining part — you never know what second graders will say,” Laura smiles.
Each student also receives a NOS swag bag that includes a dental hygiene kit, a color-changing cup, sunglasses, and a letter to caregivers explaining the school presentation.
While tackling smile health, the program enables NOS to give back to the long-term health of the communities they are personally connected to.
“We really want to invest in the communities we serve,” Dr. Stadiem says. “My family lives in Loveland, my wife works at Loveland City Schools, and my daughters will be future Tigers. I want for my community what I want for my own family — to be happy and healthy.”
Which underlines Dr. Stadiem’s commitment to continued learning and comprehensive care.
“I pride myself on continuing education to stay up to date on the most current techniques and technologies to better serve my patients.” Dr. Stadiem says. “I always say: I don’t treat teeth, I treat people. I like to take a comprehensive approach to treatment. This helps me set my patients up for success not just with a beautiful smile, but by improving their overall health.”
While many may recognize the NOS logo from local team jerseys or show choir programs, Dr. Stadiem says investing time inside classrooms is one of the most rewarding — and fun! — parts of the job.
By teaching children about oral health early and making education enjoyable and approachable, Northeast Orthodontic Specialists is doing more than creating straight smiles … they’re investing in healthier futures — one second-grade classroom at a time.
NOSOrthodontics.com | 3284 Montgomery Rd, Loveland | 9380 Kenwood Rd, Cincinnati | 513.793.4770