Bright Now! Dental Helps Children Learn to Fight Tooth Decay with Halloween Candy Roundups at Local Schools

SANTA ANA, Calif.--(Business Wire)--
Bright Now! Dental, Inc., the nation`s leading provider of business support
services to dentists, today announced a Halloween Candy Roundup program in
Orange County and Phoenix. Because tooth decay remains one of the most common
diseases of childhood, five times as common as asthma and seven times more
common as hay fever† , Bright Now wants to raise awareness among parents about
the importance of establishing good dental habits in young children. The
following local schools have partnered with Bright Now affiliated offices to
teach children the benefits of good oral health:

* St. Bernard Catholic School (Bellflower, CA)
* Julia B. Morrison Elementary (Norwalk, CA)
* Oak View Elementary (Huntington Beach, CA)
* Child`s Kingdom Preschool (El Toro, CA)
* Orangethorpe Elementary (Fullerton, CA)
* Adams Elementary (Santa Ana, CA)
* Chapman Hills Elementary (Orange, CA)
* Kingswood Elementary (Surprise, AZ)

These schools along with Bright Now affiliated offices in Orange County and
Phoenix have partnered with Operation Gratitude, an organization that provides
civilians a way to express their respect and appreciation to the men and women
of the U.S. Military by sending the Halloween candy collected to the US Troops
oversees. Teachers at participating schools will distribute information this
week about the Halloween Candy Roundup contest. Students, teachers and parents
can compete to win $200 in school supplies and a pizza party for the class which
collects the most candy at each school+.

"It is vital that parents and children realize the importance of establishing
good dental habits at an early age," said Jeff Hamill, Area Vice President for
the Bright Now Dental, Inc. West Region. "Good dental care begins at home, but
visiting a dentist regularly is just as important. And, this program serves an
important purpose by helping teach children that candy should be enjoyed in
moderation and that by donating their candy, they can put a smile on people`s
faces. This supports the Bright Now motto `Smiles for Everyone`." Bright Now
affiliated offices from coast-to-coast offer programs that make quality dental
care affordable so that families can get this essential element of healthcare."

Visiting the dentist at a young age creates the opportunity to detect and
prevent problems early, which is doubly important in light of the fact that
dental care also affects other aspects of one`s health:

* The American Heart Association (AHA) has concluded that a correlation exists
between oral health and coronary heart disease.
* Tooth decay and overall oral health are directly related to the eating habits
and nutritional intake of obese individuals.
* According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, studies show that
children with poor oral health have decreased school performance, poor social
relationships, and less success later in life.

Caring for Your Child`s Teeth

Your Bright Now affiliated dentist, the American Dental Association, and the
American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommend the following:

* Scheduling a dental visit after the appearance of a baby`s first tooth and no
later than a child`s first birthday.
* Brushing a child`s gums twice a day with a soft cloth or baby toothbrush and
water even before the first tooth appears.
* Brushing a child`s teeth twice a day - preferably after breakfast and before
bed - once teeth appear.

To learn about how to participate in the Halloween Candy Roundup program or to
schedule an appointment, prospective patients can reach a Bright Now affiliated
office near them at 1- 888-BRIGHT NOW (1-888-274-4486).

About Operation Gratitude

Operation Gratitude is the California-based 501 (c) (3) non-profit, volunteer
organization that annually sends 100,000+ care packages of snacks, entertainment
items and personal letters of appreciation addressed to individually named U.S.
Service Members deployed in hostile regions such as Iraq and Afghanistan, and on
military ships at sea. Its mission is to lift morale, bring a smile to a service
member's face and to express to all our Armed Forces the appreciation and
support of the American people. Since its inception in March, 2003, Operation
Gratitude has shipped more than 410,000 packages to American military deployed
overseas.

About Bright Now Dental, Inc.

Bright Now Dental Inc., and its wholly owned subsidiaries, Monarch Dental,
Castle Dental and Newport Dental, provide business support services to more than
300 dental offices in 18 states. Bright Now Dental`s mission is to manage the
time-consuming business functions of running dental practices, enabling dentists
to devote virtually all of their time to quality patient care through superior
service and value. Bright Now Dental Inc. handles business support services such
as finance, sales and marketing, information technology, human resources,
purchasing and real estate development, while dentists retain responsibility for
all clinical matters. More than two million people yearly take advantage of
Bright Now Dental`s affiliated dental offices and their extended evening and
weekend office hours, convenient locations, affordable prices, and flexible
payment plans for quality, full-service dental care including general and
cosmetic dentistry, and specialty services such as orthodontics.

Based in Santa Ana, Calif., Bright Now Dental Inc. and its affiliated dental
offices employ approximately 4,200 people nationwide. For more information,
visit www.brightnow.com.

† Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention Division of Oral Health

+ One (1) $200 prize will be awarded per participating school. All candy must be
wrapped and unopened. One (1) drawing entry for every pound of candy donated.
Winners will be contacted on Tuesday, November 3rd.

Bright Now! Dental, Inc.
Glenda Yost, 714-428-1229
glenda.yost@brightnow.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009