I recently posted about the book Enamel the Camel, a story about a camel who gets teased about his big front teeth - but who ends up saving the day! I had a chance to do an interview with the author to learn more.
Why did you write this book?
As a pediatric dentist I find that one of the biggest complaints of parents is the struggle to motivate their child to brush their teeth-either they don't want to or only want to for a few seconds. I know from experience that if children can relate to someone, more specifically a hero like Enamel that brushes, they are more likely to want to brush. This book hopefully will be a reminder of the importance of brushing. I am passionate about kids not being bullied and being accepted for who they are. I know it may sound a bit corny, but smiling is a reflection of your heart not how you look.
Why camels?
I love word play, as you can see in the book, and I was thinking of dental ideas for our annual funny holiday card and the word "enamel" came up. So, what rhymes with that?
Why is it helpful for kids to see characters in books with positive healthy habits?
An underlying theme in our office is to have fun at the dentist, it doesn't have to be a traumatic experience. Our waiting room is full of life size characters, a flying baby elephant, a smiling lion cub, vintage PacMan games, etc. These objects immediately put the child at ease when walking into our office. Even in the dental chair we try to make it fun; magic nose that makes the chair go up and down, magic tricks, personally chosen movies or TV shows etc, all designed to relax the child. As you know, if you make any experience fun, unique and relatable, you're likely to remember it more. This applies to healthy habits as well, as a fun camel who likes to brush. From experience with my daughter, if she liked a book especially with animals, she would want it read, again, again and again enforcing the positive message. "Let's brush like Enamel. "
Learn more:
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Comedian and dentist, Mike King, has built his pediatric dental practice in an unusual manner.
He incorporates comedy into his dental office in order to relax the children. Kid’s jokes, and magic tricks are all part of his treatment. Dr. Mike has managed to balance his love for pediatric dentistry with his love for the entertainment business.
In addition to his thriving practice in Manhattan, Dr. Mike appears weekly at Broadway Comedy Club, New York Comedy Club, and Gotham Comedy Club and is known as The Fifth Dentist. He also takes his hilarious stand-up routine on the road, especially to dental conventions. Mike has appeared on Comedy Central, America’s Funniest Home Videos, and An Evening at the Improv. He has opened many times for Ray Romano and has been featured in Newsweek magazine and the New York Times.
His other passion is writing. In addition to being a member of the Writers Guild of America East, he was selected by Larry David to submit ideas for the “Seinfeld” show and formed a production company – Jamisonkane Entertainment, LLC. His previous children’s book is “Flossopher and the Brushing Tree.” If he is not enjoying his time in the office or performing in comedy clubs, Mike is most content spending time with his wife, Sophie, and daughter, Annabelle.
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