Ally the Alligator and his large, shiny teeth greet children visiting Naples Pediatric Dentistry. It’s a good thing he’s a stuffed animal!
Dr. Marilyn Sandor, who opened the practice 21 years ago, knows that toys, stuffed animals and games can keep children entertained during an office visit.
While Ally remains in the waiting room (and children take turns brushing his teeth), dozens of other unused toys were sitting in storage. Since the pandemic made sharing toys a potential health issue, Dr. Sandor decided to remove toys from her office and focus on playing movies instead.
She contacted us and donated two small trailers full of toys, stuffed animals, dolls and books. She also had two children’s motorized scooters, a bedroom set, and a kitchen table and chairs from her family’s recent move.
“When you have nice things but just don’t have a place for them, you want someone to be able to use them and appreciate them,” Dr. Sandor says. “I feel like I passed on some happiness.”
Dr. Sandor says she appreciated the time Director of Development Gloria Moorman spent in coming to see the items and determine what would be useful to RCMA families.
She plans to bring her family and friends to visit Immokalee and learn more about RCMA and our families, especially migrant farmworkers.
“I’m the first generation in my family born in the US, so I know what it’s like to move from one village to the next,” she says.
During her visit, Dr. Sandor might just share her favorite tip for good oral health.
“The easiest, most important thing to help prevent or vastly reduce the number of cavities you have over your lifetime is to only drink water and not sugary beverages. Even if you don’t brush your teeth, this will help.”
