Public relations firm, JoTo PR and cosmetic dentist, Dr. John Moore, Jr are shining a spotlight on the importance of oral health: on – and off the modeling runways of the world
As the European Union announced that all models are required to have a medical certificate, valid for up to 2 years, confirming general physical well-being and not excessively underweight, Dr. Moore warns that general physical well-being should extend to the teeth, for health and economic reasons.
“Why not make it part of the overall health requirement?” said Moore, explaining that the state of a person’s teeth is directly tied to systemic issues that were generally unknown to medicine before the 1990’s.
JoTo PR CEO, Karla Jo Helms told DIVERGE more:
Why is this new requirement significant?
Consumers are driving markets today – in finance, IT and even healthcare. The exploitation of the fashion industry’s unhealthy practices, coupled with additional issues in society of bullying, eating disorders and the need for acceptance today has made past industry standards unacceptable – even intolerable.
Other industries like the fashion industry, are going to be held accountable to higher ethical standards that have broad ramifications to the well-being of others.
With social media and the news media exploding with many more outlets and avenues for news stories to be published to very targeted demographics, the need to take into account the greater good has become paramount.
How will this affect models and why is dental health important?
I believe this will positively affect models – their health, and ultimately their self-esteem. It will empower women to be healthy and embrace the beauty of health.
When mandates come down that impact the economic vitality of an industry or a certain group of individuals, the preamble to that is that earlier negative practices were ALREADY going on that demanded a need for change.
Witness the tobacco industry.
The Food industry.
Big pharma.
Etc.
Unfortunately, most industries don’t change unless public opinion says they should.
Why?
Because when it gets to that point, the negative news has affected their reputation and consequently their profitability. Public opinion has spoken against non-survival practices. Witness the many negative publicity articles and outcry regarding the fashion industry regarding models being too skinny, ‘malnutritioned’ and even dying.
Dental health has become an integral part of overall systemic health in the past 20 years. Not only does one’s smile help someone command more income, get a better job or even have a higher chance of finding love (studies have shown), but a pretty smile has become synonymous with ultimate beauty. Not including dental health as part of this overall health initiative, is leaving out a large body of science and ultimately one of the biggest improvers of overall physical, mental and financial health.
It would be smart for the US Fashion industry to follow suit – and use PR to publicize their good works on this matter, before they are attacked by public opinion.
How will JoTo PR help?
This will take education.
Marketing alone cannot handle this task. And this is not a selling campaign.
Publicity stories through the media, to capitalize on third-party credibility and bring to light the issues AND the problems will help this client – and the industries they can make a positive effect on.
