As the Benco Tooth Fairy took flight after a visit with the Illumination Early Learning Center in Kingston, Pennsylvania, Macklan, one pre-school student asked, “Where did that butterfly go?”

Pat Motyka, a 10-year associate at the nation’s largest independently owned dental distributor, delivers smiles to youngsters throughout the year, but there’s no better time to share a tale of her recent adventures than today — #National Tooth Fairy Day.

Unless it’s during a visit to the dentist, people rarely volunteer details on their toothbrush and floss habits. Not the case with this pre-school class. Sixteen students were more than willing to express their enthusiasm for dental hygiene, as well as a love and admiration for the Benco Dental Tooth Fairy.

Resplendent in white attire and a glittering crown and wings, Pat Motyka, a Tooth Customer Service Specialist at the dental distributor’s home office in Pittston, entered the preschool classroom for a visit last fall.

“Visitors absolutely help the classroom. I think sometimes when the message is conveyed by another person (not the teacher or parent) they truly take it to heart. “

Elizabeth Muller, a teacher at Illumination Early Learning Center

Students intently listened and watched as the Tooth Fairy spoke on the importance of brushing and flossing, and handed out cartoon coloring sheets. They jumped to the task when she offered a hands-on experience brushing the teeth of Finn, a plush shark puppet used for dental hygiene demos (shown at top).

Teacher Amy Wall reminisced about her childhood experience with a loose tooth.

“When I was little, I didn’t want to eat an apple because my tooth was loose and wiggly. So I would only eat mashed potatoes and jelly. One day at school I forgot and ate the apple. My tooth was stuck in it and I didn’t even realize it came out. I was a little bit petrified.”

Amy Wall a teacher at Illumination Learning Center

Students rushed to impress Tooth Fairy Pat with their brush and floss routines. An excited young boy raised his hand to explain that his Mommy always tells him to floss his teeth.

Wall said even before the Tooth Fairy arrived, students were excited and trying to guess what she would wear, some asking: “Do you think she’ll have wings?”

Before the Tooth Fairy made her exit for the journey back to Benco, she gifted each child with a take-home package, including a dental kit, stickers and other surprises.

Though new to the Tooth Fairy role, with just a few classroom visits under her wings, Motyka brings 10 years of dental industry experience to her position at Benco Dental.

Along with being seen as a role model for many of the children and adding some sparkle to their day, she feels her visits always make an impact.

“A lot of parents don’t tell their kids about dental health — I know mine didn’t. I think it’s important, because that’s the first thing you see when you talk to someone: their teeth. Benco was kind enough to donate tooth gel, toothbrushes, and brushing charts for the dental kit, which will help them.”

Benco Tooth Fairy Pat Motyka

For details or more information, visit benco.com or call 1.800.GO.BENCO.