The Super Dentists is holding its 25th Annual Spooktacular on Oct. 26 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the parking lot of its Eastlake office located at 2226 Otay Lakes Road. This family-friendly Halloween event is free to the public and includes costume contests for children and adults with guest judges, carnival games, a festive photo station, The Super Dentists characters, local vendors, prizes, giveaways, and fun for the community.
“Sometimes Halloween events can be too spooky for younger kids. Our annual Spooktacular Halloween festival is super family friendly and has become a huge tradition for San Diego families,” said Dr. Kami Hoss, co-founder of The Super Dentists. “We want families to enjoy the season in a fun, day-time event that is sure to get you into the fall spirit.”
Hoss said this event started small 25 years ago, and over time has become the largest Halloween party.
“It is a safe Halloween party,” he said. “Now, when we put the pumpkin on the roof people know it is Halloween season here. It has become this tradition and symbol of Halloween. We are extremely excited as 25 years is a big milestone,” he said. “The costume contests are my favorite. It is unbelievable. People go out of their way to put on these amazing costumes, many of them custom made. They are very creative, and the contests are based on ages, so we have a lot of cute little kids, older teens, and even adults participating.”
Hoss said the event also has face painting, trick or treat for the kids, large jump houses, along with all the amazing food and other activities.
“It is a free event. We not only invite our patients, but their families, their neighbors, their friends, and everyone else in the community to attend and have a great time,” he said.
Hoss said they began this event because the day after Halloween is usually the “biggest nightmare” of a day for dentists of the year.
“We typically have the highest number of emergencies across the country,” he said. “If you ask any dentist what their busiest day of the year for emergencies is, they will say the day after Halloween.
Teeth get chipped, brackets get broken, fillings get loose, crowns get lost. Usually, people have a fear of going to the dentist and people avoid it, and they associate it with negative feelings. Public speaking and going to the dentist are the two biggest fears.
Knowing this, 25 years ago we decided to have a Halloween party, make it fun, make it safe. I know. My kid wants to get candy. We want to do it in a logical and responsible way and teach kids on how they can have fun on Halloween in a safe way that is in a responsible way for their oral health.”
Hoss said instead of giving out candy at Halloween events, they give out alternatives like temporary tattoos, toothbrushes, and small toys that kids appreciate, because they usually get candy.
“Actually, the kids are more excited because they always get candy,” he said. “They can keep these things longer and enjoy them. We also wanted parents and kids to have a positive association with their oral care and going to the dentist. Having a Halloween party at the dentist office, giving a tour of the dentist office, being exposed to different procedures that we do, learning about our new line of oral care products we offer, is often the first time they get to see these at our SuperMouth event. We have toothbrushes, mouthwash, tongue scrapers, and an assortment of things. This is a new thing with our 25th anniversary, so we are not only introducing how you can associate fun, safety, efficacy in going to the dentist, which you do about twice a year, but how to introduce those same things at home so that you have a positive experience with oral care, and build a positive experience in the lives of kids.”
