Many authors have written children’s books about going to the dentist —but a local first-time author from Harrisonburg is doing something a little different.
Sarah Hanger is the practice manager of Weiler Orthodontics in Harrisonburg, where she sees plenty of kids come in and out. Although people often think of orthodontics as something for teenagers, Hanger said children can start going as young as seven.
“It’s actually much younger than what a lot of families realize,” Hanger said.
The idea for the book came about when Hanger, giving a presentation about orthodontics to a group of elementary schoolers, wished she had a book to help her along and found there wasn’t one.
“So, I took that obstacle as an opportunity and decided to write something so that other families, and dental professionals as well, would have a resource that could connect to kids individually,” Hanger said. “It was one part being an orthodontic professional, and then also being a mother, and understanding how valuable these resources can be for kids.”
Hanger grew up in Broadway and recently moved back to the Shenandoah Valley to live in Harrisonburg. She said she has always been creative and enjoys writing and drawing.
Since Hanger had always wanted to write a book, she decided that this would be her first. She titled it “My First Visit to the Orthodontist” and said writing it was a relatively quick process — from initial idea to publication, it only took about seven or eight months.
Hanger used the book — which features characters modeled after her children and an orthodontist resembling the actual orthodontist she works for — to gently explain the process of a child’s first orthodontist visit.
Hanger named the child in the book “Miles” because it sounds like “smile,” she said. Illustrator Alice Larsson draws him to resemble Hanger’s son, Hudson, while Miles’ mother resembles Hanger’s daughter, Cora.
Hanger said that finding Larsson was one of the more challenging parts of the book-writing process — the publishing company originally sent her 60 illustrations, which she had to narrow down to find the perfect artist to illustrate her book.
“I got to see that their style matched, essentially, the vision I had for the book,” Hanger said.
In the story, Miles goes to the orthodontist and has X-rays taken of his teeth while the orthodontist explains why some people need braces. She tried to explain as best as she could in simple, straightforward language, using her experience working in the field.
“There are certain terms, of course, that it’s kind of hard to avoid using, but some of that I kind of still incorporated,” Hanger said. “When they heard those terms at their appointments, if they had already read this [book], it wouldn’t be their first time hearing that, and they would better understand what’s going on.”
The first orthodontist visit, Hanger said, is usually just to check on a child’s teeth and see if they may need braces in the future. However, she said there is no age limit for orthodontic care, and it has many benefits.
“One misconception of orthodontics is that it’s strictly cosmetic and that the point of braces or clear liners is to give a beautiful smile,” Hanger said. “That tends to be kind of a secondary benefit, with the primary benefit being for the overall health of the teeth.”
Blue Balloon Books, the children’s division of Ballast Books, is publishing the book, which was released Tuesday. It is available online and at some Barnes & Noble bookstores. Hanger said she may do a book signing at Harrisonburg’s Barnes & Noble soon.
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