Celebrate Dental Health Month with Free ADA Resources.

Like most this year, the American Dental Association is already looking towards 2021. In preparation for February’s National Children’s Dental Health Month, the ADA has assembled free resources to help celebrate and educate.

This year’s campaign theme will focus on the importance of water for healthy teeth.

“This year’s theme of ‘Water: Nature’s Drink’ will undoubtedly resonate with my patients and their families. We know water can rejuvenate the body and stave off those sugary drinks and foods in our diet.”

Shamik Vakil, D.D.S.,
member of the ADA Council on Advocacy for Access and Prevention.

For the occasion, the ADA has published free printable posters in Spanish and English, as well as a program plan. Designed for use by teachers, parents, and dental health professionals, the plan includes easy-to-do activities, program planning timetable tips, a sample National Children’s Dental Health Month proclamation, and more.

Looking for a few activities to get your practice involved?

  1. Sponsor a coloring contest. At this link, you’ll find contains coloring and activity sheets in English and Spanish, like those shown above, that may be duplicated for a contest. Contact administrators of local childcare centers and elementary schools to encourage school participation.  
  2. Conduct a dental health screening. Schools, clinics, churches and community centers are good places to hold dental health screenings.
  3. Reach out to parents. Reach parents by speaking at childbirth classes and parent- teacher organization meetings.  Provide new parents with dental health packets (literature, bib and gauze) for newborns. Distribute pamphlets and posters to obstetricians and pediatricians for use in reception areas.
  4. Work with the local chapter of the American Cancer Society. Conduct tobacco cessation presentations.  Contact the American Cancer Society (ACS) at 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit the ACS web site for more information or to find a local ACS chapter.
  5. Sponsor a dental health essay contest. Essay contests encourage originality and are challenging for older children. To conduct a school contest, contact the school nurse, health or physical education instructor or the school administrator. Invite children or teens to write a persuasive essay on a dental topic, such as diet and soft drinks, or cleaning teeth, etc. Encourage children to visit ADA.org or Mouth Healthy.org to research their topic.  Define contest rules (such as age/grade, number of words or paragraphs, deadline, prizes, and where to submit the entry). Take a photo of the winner(s) and, with their permission, send it to local papers with an announcement.
  6. Sponsor a display or exhibit at the local library or museum. Dental societies often display NCDHM posters, simple dental messages, photos of children receiving oral health exams, dental equipment, dental care products and models or charts of the mouth in educational displays. Contact the library or museum administrator several months in advance.

This month-long national health observance has been bringing together thousands of dedicated professionals, healthcare providers, and educators since 1941. And the 2021 celebration will be no different.

“As dental professionals, we know that oral health is a driving force of overall health. I am convinced that our efforts to support water consumption and public health initiatives such as community water fluoridation will inevitably help prevent caries in our young patients and be supportive of their overall well-being.”

Shamik Vakil, D.D.S.,
member of the ADA Council on Advocacy for Access and Prevention

Want to promote the benefits of good oral health to your patients and community?

Don’t miss out on a chance to share the benefits of good oral health to children, their caregivers, teachers, and many others.
Find ADA resources for National Children’s Dental Health Month here: https://www.ada.org/en/public-programs/national-childrens-dental-health-month?utm_medium=VanityUrl