North Texas Dentistry Volume 8 Issue 5 2018 ISSUE 5 DE | Page 29

patient education
Clean Teeth
Make Fairies Fly
Motivating children to brush their teeth can sometimes be a dif-
ficult job but Denise Ditto, author of The Tooth Collector Fairies
series is up to the task. We met up with Denise at the Southwest
Dental Conference in Dallas and learned that she didn’t origi-
nally strike out on her writing
journey to accomplish this mis-
sion but – she has done just that.
And that’s not all. There are
plenty of other important lessons
to be learned from her books.
Ditto, a native Texan, is a free-
lance writer who loves writing for
children. Her series begins with
book one which is titled, Batina’s
Best First Day (Batina). It is a
behind-the-scenes story about
tooth fairies that gives an inside
look at what their lives are like in
the magical land of Brushelot.
The lessons learned in this book are persistence, friendship and
teamwork. It is also revealed that it is a well-brushed tooth that
makes fairy dust, the very dust that enables tooth fairies to fly.
This message is her subtle way to encouraging children to brush
their teeth – but don’t tell them.
Batina went from page to the stage in Katy, Texas in October
2016 when it was performed as a musical by children at the Katy
Visual and Performing Arts Center (KVPAC). It returned to the
stage in May 2018 and was performed by the C.KIDZ Theatre
School, junior division of the Players Theatre Company at the
Owen Theatre in Conroe, Texas.
Book two in the series titled Home from Decay Valley was
released in 2018. It is a book 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).
When Ditto sits down to talk with someone about The Tooth Col-
lector Fairies series she says the first question asked is always,
“Why did you write about the tooth fairy?” Her answer is always
the same. “I think the tooth fairy is a very interesting character
who I happen to know quite well.” The first question is always
followed by, “Is there going to be a third book in the series?” The
answer is yes. She is currently formulating the story line – and
accepting ideas, so drop her a line. She’d love to hear from you.
Ditto spends much of her time attending book signings, and fes-
tivals, speaking to small groups, and making appearances at den-
tal offices and special events to help to spread the word about
dental health and the importance of fairy dust. In addition, when
Ditto is not working on her children’s book series, she is working
with other writers in her community. She is the Executive Direc-
tor at Houston Writers House, a position she shares with her
business partner, Rebecca Nolen. She is also an active member
in the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and a
former (2016-2018) board member for the American Business
Women’s Association - Women of Vision Express Network
(ABWA – Woven) in Kingwood.
Denise Ditto graduated magna cum
laude from the University of Houston -
Downtown with a degree in profes-
sional writing. She has also published
several short stories in various literary
magazines and anthologies.
You can learn more about Denise at
www.toothcollectorfairies.com.
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