Little Red Riding Hood’s exclamation “Grandma, what big teeth you have” was more than matched by the gasps of students from PS 209 and PS 225 in Brooklyn when they set eyes on the enormous Megladon tooth at the New York City Aquarium at Coney Island during their visit on Feb. 24. It was a day that was all about teeth: the teeth of sharks; of whales; of the extinct Megladon, the largest shark ever to have lived; and of their very own little 1st- and 2nd-grader teeth. The students learned all about the creatures of the deep and then headed to examining rooms in the aquarium where dentists from neighboring Coney Island Hospital’s dental clinic provided individual dental screenings and lessons about dental health and hygiene. “The students were fascinated by the Megladon tooth compared to those of today’s sharks while they were getting their own teeth checked by the dentist,” said PS 225 teacher Susan Tellefsen. Each of the 150 students from Brighton Beach and Sheepshead Bay took home a report outlining any dental work needed that parents could bring to their child’s next dental visit. The UFT is working in partnership with the hospital to pilot the dental screening program in 10 District 21 schools in its effort to meet the nonacademic needs of low-income students by working with families in the community. As PS 225 teacher Janice Capriotti noted, “Some children have never been to the dentist so hopefully the screenings will inform their parents of the urgent need for them to treat issues their children might currently have and to prevent future issues.” The students left with toothbrushes, instructions on how to properly brush teeth and coloring books. Older students in the program also learned about career opportunities in the dental field.