Winifred J. Booker, D.D.S.
Owings Mills, MD
Pediatric Dentistry

For years, Dr. Winifred Booker saw parents struggling to get their children to brush their teeth. Children would share with her a handful of excuses why they couldn't brush. So she decided to create something that would make a lasting impression on children. Enter Brushtime Bunny®, a dental hygiene delivery aide that gives children a fun way to take care of their teeth. Brushtime Bunny features a rinse cup, toothbrush and toothpaste designed especially for kids; tasty dental floss; and a whimsical song. The idea was conceived while Dr. Booker was flipping through the retail circulars just before Easter.

"I thought with all this candy, and much of it in the shape of bunnies, no wonder kids have cavities. And then the idea came to me. I wrote it down; and several years later I started Brushtime Products, Inc., a company that manufactures child-friendly dental hygiene products," said Dr. Booker. That's only one small carrot in her daily work. Most of the time she's leading her private dental practice, Valley Dental Pediatrics, and she's also the founder of the Maryland Oral Health Institute, an organization created to combat dental neglect and oral abuse among children.

"It is a very big challenge to educate parents on the importance of early dental health care prevention," she said, noting baby bottle tooth decay as a serious and prevalent problem, especially among low-income populations. The condition arises when babies are put to bed with their bottles, or they are given their bottles or cups with sweet juices or milk all day. "For many of these children we have to do comprehensive dental rehabilitation under general anesthesia," she said, adding that in her practice alone there is a waiting list for surgery.

Dr. Booker works hard to strengthen good practices for children and parents by showing that she can be trusted. "I engage the children. I share language that they will appreciate," she said. She refers to needles as sleepy drops and the suction as Mr. Thirsty. She also makes sure she watches one cartoon every Saturday so she can talk about it with her patients. "They love that I know what is going on with Dora the Explorer or Oswald the Octopus," she added.

"I absolutely love working with children, improving their dental and general health, elevating their self-esteem and giving them a reason to smile," she said. As for the future, Dr. Booker hopes children across the world will become exposed to Brushtime Bunny. "The amazement and excitement that is on their faces when they see it is very rewarding. They are so enthused to brush their teeth," she said.