Good Health Starts Early: RPS Parents Share Expertise on Dental and Heart Health with Junior Kindergarten Students

At Rutgers Prep, we are committed to developing the whole child, which includes physical, intellectual, social, and emotional development. In February, Junior Kindergarten students had the opportunity to learn about dental and heart health in celebration of Dental Health Month.

To kick off the month, Dr. Olga Dubinski, a dentist and mother of three RPS students, visited the classroom. The JK students learned about good oral hygiene habits, such as brushing their teeth after breakfast and before bed, and healthy snack options that can keep their teeth clean and healthy. Dr. Dubinski emphasized the importance of regular dental check-ups to keep dangerous bacteria at bay and even prevent heart complications in the future.

In addition to dental health, JK students also learned about heart health from several physicians. Dr. Harish Bhatt, parent of three RPS alumni and grandfather of JK student Nikash, brought in pictures of the heart for each student to take home and a model heart for the class to examine. Dr. Bhatt explained that the heart is a muscle with four chambers–or rooms–and helped students feel their own pulse in their wrists.

After Dr. Bhatt's visit, the JK students made their own stethoscopes and listened to each other's heartbeats. They even took their stethoscopes home to listen to their families' heartbeats. Dr. Christopher Taurani and Dr. Bindu Sachdev, parents of Bella, also visited the class and brought in real stethoscopes to help students hear their own heartbeats. Dr. Taurani explained how blood flows into the heart from veins, goes to the lungs to be oxygenated, and then returns to the heart to be pumped out through arteries.

To keep their hearts healthy, the JK students learned about the importance of drinking lots of water, eating fresh fruits and vegetables, and exercising every day. These habits are not only beneficial for a healthy heart, but also for overall physical and mental health.

At Rutgers Prep, we are dedicated to cultivating healthy habits and lifelong learning for our students. These lessons in dental and heart health are just a small part of our comprehensive approach to nurturing the whole child.