“Creature Teacher” program celebrates 20th anniversary and expands to Springtown
SPRINGTOWN — For 20 years now, Ballard Family Dentistry has educated children in the North Texas area about the importance of dental hygiene. Usually, most dentists might show a colorful picture and talk about the importance of brushing your teeth. But Dr. Scott Ballard isn’t your usual dentist.
The Creature Teacher program is an event where Ballard brings in exotic animals, like boa snakes, baby kangaroos and more to talk about the importance of taking care of your teeth. Ballard Family Dentistry Marketing Director Lindsey Oxford says Ballard made it his mission to find a way to creatively engage with kids about dental hygiene.
“Dr. Scott created the program in 2005 after realizing there was huge void in our local schools for dental hygiene education,” Oxford said. “He realized it was because the schools had bad experiences with other programs in the past and the kids were not engaging. He asked the Eagle Mountain School District “If I find a way to make the kids love it, will you consider it?” They said yes. Then he personally set out on a mission to find a way to bring a program to the schools that did just that.”
Ballard mainly showcases “Creature Teacher” to kindergarten through second grade students, but he has recently expanded.
“We have always focused on kindergarten through second grade but in the past few years, we first expanded with the addition of pre-K because there was a huge need,” Oxford said. “We have now begun doing entire schools, pre-K through fifth grade in our rural markets like Springtown. Dr. Scott would do every single school, as many kids as possible, if his schedule allowed.”
As the program has grown in popularity, schools reach out months in advance, hoping to snag a spot for their students.
“It’s become a tradition — it’s certainly part of our brand now,” Oxford said. “Teachers start messaging us early in the school year to make sure they get theirs scheduled. Kids remember us and even know us by name. We know they are impacted and we love that they look forward to learning. So many relationships have formed between our teams and the schools. We love it.”
Ballard started partnering with the Fort Worth Zoo but then found a business that shared more than just a name.
“Originally, we worked with different organizations including the Fort Worth Zoo,” Oxford said. “Over time, we developed a wonderful relationship with Belinda and Cory Henry from The Creature Teacher. Ironically, their business shared the name concept. We use them exclusively in all our shows, which also has turned into additional “one off” community shows in our Northlake communities in both the spring and fall. We have also been known to spoil our local teaching communities at their convocations in August and brought “Quillie Nelson” the porcupine to Springtown ISD this past August.”
COVID-19 did bring some challenges to the program, due to students being sent home to quarantine. But Ballard found a way to reach his audience.
“In 2021, we had to get creative,” Oxford said. “COVID prevented us from going into the schools physically. Dr. Scott demanded that we find a way to make sure the program was available. We hired a professional videographer to come to our office, record a “live show,” then added it to YouTube and our website. That enabled us to be able to not only send out the link for teachers to share a virtual program with their class, but we also donated the normal dental hygiene bags and created a cute card for the kids to take home to watch it with their parents.”
Oxford says the event is designed around a formula Ballard created for these particular age groups and watching them is always a blast.
“It just never gets old watching them scream, engage and just watching them learn,” Oxford said. “Dr. Scott, being a father of five himself and now a grandfather, realizes that kids in this age group don’t have a long attention span in group settings. He developed the program so that it was short, hit all the high points and was interactive.”
Ballard understands that this program not only helps kids but helps struggling parents at home trying to implement good oral hygiene habits for their children.
“Without a doubt, he knows that every kid can benefit from this show,” Oxford said. “He also knows that parents struggle at home at times with oral hygiene or that not all kids have a good routine in place for 100 different reasons. He truly believes that if he impacts even one child out of the 600-plus kids we see in one school, it’s worth it to him. Habits form early and this truly helps. He has grown “kids” that recognize him in the community now. He’s referred to as the “Creature Dentist” which only fuels his fire to do it more.”
How long does Ballard plan to continue the program? His answer — as long as he is in business.
“He will never not do the show,” Oxford said. “As long as his name is on the door, he will be the “Creature Teacher Dentist.”
Dr. Scott Ballard holds a champagne skunk. JOLEE SKINNER | TRI-COUNTY REPORTER
Ballard feeds a baby kangaroo milk in front of the students at Springtown Elementary School.
Dr. Scott Ballard teaches kids the importance of flossing and brushing their teeth.
Springtown Elementary Students look at Dr. Scott Ballard holding the animals.
