Hip Hop Public Health and Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures® Introduce the “Paste Time” Educator Toolkit to Help Teachers Integrate Oral Health Education Into the Classroom

The free online toolkit builds on the bilingual song and video “Paste Time,” to teach good oral health practices

The Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures® (BSBF) program and Hip Hop Public Health (HHPH) announce the development of the Paste Time Educator Toolkit, a free, online educational teaching resource to help educators include oral health education in their curriculum. The toolkit continues the partnership between BSBF and HHPH, which released the bilingual song, “Paste Time,” an educational tool that teaches key elements of good oral hygiene to children and their families.

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The Paste Time Educator Toolkit was developed by health and education experts, with input from Hip Hop Public Health’s Educator Review Group. The curricular resources are aligned with National Health Education Standards, National Physical Education Standards, and Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) core competencies. The toolkit aims to help educators teach students about the importance of good oral health, which is especially critical as the World Health Organization estimates that 514 million children suffer from caries in primary teeth. In the United States, caries is the most common chronic disease of childhood. While preventable, untreated cavities can cause pain and infections that could lead to problems eating, speaking, playing, and learning.

Available at https://www.hhph.org/toolkit/paste-time, the Paste Time Educator Toolkit provides resources for teachers to easily integrate oral health education into learning in and outside the classroom. It includes a lesson plan, classroom slides, fun activities, family take-homes, teaching guidance, and optional lesson extension activities. The Toolkit was developed with third to fifth graders in mind; however, its flexible design allows educators to adapt the materials for elementary students at all grade levels.

"Every single day, educators are out there, doing incredible work, empowering young people with the lifelong skills they need to champion their health," said Lindsey Harr, Chief Programs and Operations Officer for Hip Hop Public Health. "That's why we've created the Paste Time Educator Toolkit – where music takes center stage to make oral health education engaging and fun. Our vision is that the lesson plans, classroom activities, and family-oriented take-home materials will help teachers and caregivers inspire children to brush their teeth every day and understand the benefits of good oral health.”

“When we think about oral health and its connection to our overall health and wellbeing, we cannot leave any stone unturned in terms of reaching children and their families to eliminate health disparities and improve health outcomes,” explained Dr. Gillian Barclay, Senior Vice President Global Oral Health and Scientific Affairs, Colgate-Palmolive Company and a Hip Hop Public Health Board Member. “As a medium, music makes messages memorable, and both Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures and Hip Hop Public Health are laser-focused on promoting health literacy in a manner that is relevant to the communities we serve and helps create brighter futures.”

Hip Hop Public Health is an internationally recognized organization that creates research-based educational resources by harnessing the power of music and culture to improve health in communities that are underserved. It has a 15-year track record of using an evidence-based framework for health promotion and behavior change. All of Hip Hop Public Health’s 200+ educational resources are available to stream for free, removing access barriers for teaching, learning and health literacy. The Paste Time video was produced and composed by Q. Worth and co-writer BJ Gray. In addition to Doug E. Fresh and Dr. Olajide Williams of Columbia University, a world-renowned leader in community-based behavioral intervention research, the song features youth artist Heaven and Dr. Monique “Docta Mo Flow” Hedmann-Maxey.

Since it was established in 1991, Colgate’s Bright Smiles, Bright Futures® program has reached more than 1.6 billion children in more than 100 countries with oral health education. The program strategically partners to reach underserved children and their families where they are born, live, learn, work and play. BSBF continues to promote health equity, optimal health and wellbeing, and to lead global social impact efforts that empower children and families to achieve healthy and bright futures. In the U.S., BSBF dental vans are based in hub cities and travel to rural and urban communities to help raise awareness about the importance of children's oral health.

About Hip Hop Public Health

Hip Hop Public Health is an internationally recognized 501c3 that creates research-based educational resources by harnessing the power of music and culture to improve health in communities that are underserved. Founded by Dr. Olajide Williams of Columbia University, a world-renowned leader in community-based behavioral intervention research, and the legendary Doug E. Fresh, Hip Hop Public Health has a 15-year track record of creating culturally relevant science-based content using an evidence-based framework for health promotion and behavior change, the Multisensory Multilevel Health Education Model, and the Child-Mediated Health Communication framework that focuses on children as messengers for disease prevention and health promotion interventions with parents and caregivers. All of Hip Hop Public Health’s 200+ educational resources are available to stream for free, removing access barriers for teaching, learning, and health literacy. For more information, visit www.hhph.org and follow @hhphorg on social media.

About Colgate-Palmolive

Colgate-Palmolive Company is a caring, innovative growth company reimagining a healthier future for all people, their pets, and our planet. Focused on Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care and Pet Nutrition, the Company sells its products in more than 200 countries and territories under brands such as Colgate, Palmolive, elmex, hello, meridol, Sorriso, Tom's of Maine, EltaMD, Filorga, Irish Spring, PCA Skin, Protex, Sanex, Softsoap, Speed Stick, Ajax, Axion, Fabuloso, Soupline and Suavitel, as well as Hill's Science Diet and Hill's Prescription Diet. The Company is recognized for its leadership and innovation in promoting sustainability and community wellbeing, including its achievements in decreasing plastic waste, saving water, reducing waste, promoting recyclability, conserving natural resources, and improving children's oral health through its Bright Smiles, Bright Futures program, which has reached more than 1.6 billion children since 1991. For more information about Colgate's global business and how the Company is building a future to smile about, visit www.colgatepalmolive.com. CL-C

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