patient education
Clean Teeth Equals Fairy Dust
an interview with Denise Ditto
Delivering significant moral lessons in a fun children ’ s chapter book is often a difficult task . Add to that , the difficulty of emphasizing the importance of good oral hygiene – well , that could be almost impossible to do , but Denise Ditto , author of The Tooth Collector Fairies , an awardwinning series , has done just that . We met up with her recently and learned that she is releasing her third book titled , Tooth Fairy Day Celebration at the Southwest Dental Conference in Dallas . She told us that it was her intention to launch the book at this event to celebrate the real Tooth Fairy Day – August 22 .
In case you didn ’ t know , book one in the series titled , Batina ’ s Best First Day , is a behind the scenes story about tooth fairies . It gives an inside look at what fairy lives are like in the magical land of Brushelot . It is also revealed that a well-brushed tooth that makes fairy dust , the very dust that enables tooth fairies to fly . This message is her subtle way to inspire children to brush their teeth … but don ’ t tell them .
Book two in the series was released in 2018 and is about consequences , redemption , sacrifice , and teamwork . It addresses what happens when a poorly brushed tooth is collected . Hint : The title is Home from Decay Valley . Batina ’ s Best First Day and Home from Decay Valley both received a Grand Prize Award in the Little Peeps Division in the Chanticleer International Book Award contest .
Ditto ’ s newest book in the series , Tooth Fairy Day Celebration , is written to honor all the children in the world who have lost baby teeth . Besides her continued efforts to encourage good oral hygiene , in this story she tackles life lessons like responsibility , compromise and , teamwork .
When we sat down with Ditto to talk about The Tooth Collector Fairies series she revealed that it was never her goal to write a book series about the tooth fairy but she is glad that she did .
She said , “ Creating the magical world of Brushelot and the individual personalities of the characters has been the highlight of my writing career . And of course , the fact that children love the stories helps .” When asked if there is going to be a fourth book in the series , Ditto winked and said , “ I don ’ t know . Maybe .”
During the pandemic , besides making the finishing touches on book three , Ditto was videoed reading all of Batina ’ s Best First Day , for the Chevron Children ’ s Summer Program . To see the finished product , visit www . toothcollectorfairies . com .
Currently , Ditto spends much of her time attending book signings , festivals , speaking to small groups , and making appearances at dental offices and special events to help to spread the word about dental health and the importance of fairy dust . She is a member of the Society of Children ’ s Book Writers and Illustrators ( SCBWI ). She is also a Board Member and VP of Membership for the American Business Women ’ s Association ( ABWA ) -Women of Vision Express Network in Kingwood , Texas . This year she will be celebrated as the ABWA-WOVEN 2021 Candidate for Woman of the Year .
Denise Ditto graduated magna cum laude from the University of Houston- Downtown with a degree in professional writing . She has also published several short stories in various literary magazines and anthologies .
To meet Denise and learn more about her delightful books and adorable tooth pillows , drop by her booth at the Southwest Dental Conference in Dallas , Booth # 1018 .
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