Education effort by hospital cited as key contest win

TOPEKA, KAN.—Hill's Pet Nutrition Inc. and the American Veterinary Dental Society recently announced the Windsor Veterinary Clinic in Windsor, Colo., is the grand-prize winner of the 2004 National Pet Dental Health Month Awareness Contest.

As the winner, the clinic receives registration for one employee to the 2004 Veterinary Dental Forum in Fort Worth, Texas, as well as $1,000 for transportation and accommodations plus a one-year membership in the American Veterinary Dental Society. More than 300 clinics across the United States entered the contest; Windsor Veterinary Clinic led the way with their creative and innovative techniques of increasing dental awareness with their clients.

The Dental Awareness Contest was in conjunction with National Pet Dental Health Month in February. Participating veterinary clinics entered the contest by submitting an entry form, photos, illustrations and examples of how their clinic promoted National Pet Dental Health Month. A judging panel scored the entries based on clinic activities, community outreach and creativity.

"Since periodontal disease is currently the number one diagnosed problem in dogs and cats over the age of 3, I was very pleased with not only the quantity, but the quality of this year's entries," says Mark Kimsey, DVM, senior product manager, Professional Marketing, for Hill's. "Many of the clinics promoted National Pet Dental Health Month in truly innovative ways."

The Windsor Veterinary Clinic sees dental care as a major focus in its wellness care. The winning entry showed how the hospital provided dental care education for its clients and the general public. The clinic received outstanding newspaper coverage on pet dental healthcare and its dental workshop. The clinic also increased its staff's enthusiasm by providing increased dental training and education. This clinic showed excellent creativity and dedication in its overall community outreach and promotion of National Pet Dental Health Month, according to Hill's.

"The recent compliance study made us realize the importance of increasing our efforts in dentistry. By improving communication between our healthcare team and clients we are able to provide the best recommendation in dental care and nutrition," says Sharon DeNayer, practice manager at The Windsor Veterinary Clinic.

The nine runner-ups were Mandarin Veterinary Clinic, Jacksonville, Fla.; Antietam Valley Animal Hospital, Reading, Pa.; Castle Rock Vet Center, Green River, Wyo.; North Brady Animal Hospital, Davenport, Iowa; The Pet Hospital, Lebanon, Mo.; Abbey Animal Hospital, Virginia Beach, Va.; Woodland South Animal Hospital, Tulsa, Okla.; House Calls Veterinary Hospital, Eagle, Mich.; and Litchfield Veterinary Hospital, Litchfield, Conn. A canine dental model was awarded to all clinics that entered the contest to assist in educating their clients.

February 2004 marked the 10th anniversary of the National Pet Dental Health Month and the Pets Need Dental Care, Too™ campaign, a nationwide effort to educate consumers on the importance of good dental care for pets.

National Pet Dental Health Month is co-sponsored by the American Veterinary Dental Society, the Academy of Veterinary Dentistry, American Veterinary Dental College, the American Veterinary Medical Association and Hill's Pet Nutrition Inc.