Colgate Bright Smiles Teams with New Orleans Pelican Trey Murphy III to Host SMILEFEST for Children

Friday, May 5, 2023 – New Orleans, LA: The Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs and Colgate Bright Smiles Bright Futures® hosted a Crescent City SMILEFEST for hundreds of children at Sherwood Forest Elementary School. The event highlighted the importance of establishing and maintaining habits that promote good oral health, hygiene, nutrition, and fitness.

SMILEFEST featured a host of games and activities focused on science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) that tested students’ health and wellness knowledge and provided tips and information to help them care for their health, minds, and bodies. The students visited the Colgate Bright Smiles Bright Futures® mobile dental van, where they received free dental screenings, oral health education, treatment referrals, and product giveaways. New Orleans Pelicans shooting guard Trey Murphy III also made a special appearance and joined the students, teachers, parents, and other guests in a SMILEFEST second-line strut.
The SMILEFEST celebration kicked off AMCHP’s 2023 annual conference, providing the organization’s leadership and early conferees an opportunity to participate in a day of community service, interact with state and local health professionals, and promote strategies for improving the health and lives of Louisiana mothers, children and families. Louisiana has the highest maternal mortality rate in the United States. In addition, Louisiana was ranked 49th out of 50 states in child well-being by the 2022 Kids Count Data Book published by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.