July 31, 2013
Contact: Vanessa Berrueta: missminnesotalatina2013@gmail.com
MISS MINNESOTA LATINA
USES TITLE TO BRING AWARENESS OF ORAL HEALTH TO LATINOS AT THIS YEAR’S HIGH
HEEL DASH
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.
- Miss Minnesota Latina 2013, Vanessa Berrueta, is using her title and
professional experience as a dentist, to help spread awareness about oral
health issues to Latinos in Minnesota by working with, and supporting Project
Healthy Smile at this year’s High Heel Dash.
Originally from Venezuela, Vanessa obtained a degree in
dentistry. Her passion for educating Latinos about oral health care has
increased over the years and hasn’t ceased since moving to Minnesota which she
now calls home. Miss Berrueta will be representing Minnesota at the National
Miss Latina US Pageant in Cancun, Mexico, August 18th - 25th
as she competes for the title of Miss Latina US.
“Being a pageant titleholder hasn’t separated me from my
passion for dentistry,” said Berrueta. “For this reason, it is amazing to have
the honor as Miss Minnesota Latina to help Project Healthy Smile in their
admirable mission to bring oral health education and dental supplies to
underprivileged children globally!”
With Hispanics being the fastest and largest growing
minority group in the U.S. and where half of the Hispanic population is younger
than 27 years old, oral health care is an important issue. Unfortunately it is
an often overlooked concern. According to the Hispanic Dental Association, “Twice
as many Hispanic children are likely to have untreated dental caries as are
non-Hispanic white children and the percentage of children who have never
visited a dentist is highest among Mexican children (17.7 percent).”* In
addition, language barriers present difficulties for Hispanics to receive adequate
oral health care attention and information. As a result, they will not even try
to ask about oral health care options. Fluent in Spanish and English, Miss
Berrueta desires to offer her services, and shed light on this unique topic, so
she can not only help advocate for Latinos, but also act as a translator
helping people receive the correct information and care they need.
By working with and supporting Project Healthy Smile, Miss
Berrueta is achieving her goal of helping Latinos have access and knowledge to
oral health care. To help show her support, Miss Berrueta has created a team,
Miss Minnesota Latina 2013, to join her in raising funds and participating in
this year’s High Heel Dash.
To join the team, click on the following link: http://fundraising.active.com/fundraiser/MissMinnesotaLatina2013 and make a donation to help Miss Berrueta and Project
Healthy Smile in their mission to bring oral health education and dental supplies
to underprivileged children globally.
The 4th Annual High Heel Dash down Nicollet Mall is a fundraiser with proceeds benefiting the Aegis Foundation and Project Healthy Smile. This event takes place on Wednesday, August 14th and contestants will compete against each other in 25-yard dash heats wearing heels 3 inches or taller.
Follow Miss Minnesota Latina, Vanessa Berrueta on Facebook
and on Twitter @MNLatina.
For more information on the Miss Latina US Pageant go to www.missuslatina.com
For more information on the Miss Latina US Pageant go to www.missuslatina.com
*Fast Facts
on Hispanic Oral Health is provided courtesy of the Hispanic Dental Association
with statistical input from the US Census Bureau and the Centers for Disease
Control. http://www.hdassoc.org/education-and-resources/statistics/
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