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February Is National Children's Dental Health Month

Mouth Healthy Forever Brushing Era"

American Dental Association

The American Dental Association (ADA) observed Children's Dental Health Day for the first time on February 8, 1949. In 1955, this one-day event was extended to a week. In 1981, the program was extended to a month-long observance known as National Children's Dental Health Month (NCDHM) and held every February.

  • Visit ADA’s NCDHM page to download oral-health-education posters in English and in Spanish and a month-by-month calendar for tracking daily brushing to share with families to promote the importance of oral health in February and throughout the year. On the page, also find ADA’s NCDHM Program Planning Guide, which offers resources to promote the benefits of good oral health and the prevention of oral disease to children. The guide includes easy-to-do activities, a program-planning timeline, a sample NCDHM proclamation, and much more.

National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center

The National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center (OHRC) is federally funded to respond to the needs of professionals working in states and communities, with the goal of improving oral health care for pregnant women, infants, children, and adolescents, including those with special health care needs, and their families (the maternal and child health (MCH) population).

OHRC's website can be used to locate materials in its digital library, explore topics related to oral health for the MCH population, and share resources for consumers and resources for professionals. Sign up for the monthly OHRC Update e-newsletter and e-mail discussion lists and contact the resource center for further assistance.

Preventive Dental Visits for Children and Adolescents Are Important

Children and adolescents with poor oral health are more likely to have oral pain, miss school, and perform poorly in school than their peers with better oral health. Prevention and early intervention in childhood and adolescence are important because oral health impacts a person's overall health and well-being throughout their life. Dental visits for children and adolescents are important. During visits, children, adolescents, and parents can learn about oral hygiene, fluoride, injury prevention, and nutrition. Read more in this infographic in English and in Spanish. The infographic was produced by OHRC.

images of infographics, Preventive Dental Visits for Children and Adolescents Are Important

National Center on Health, Behavior Health, and Safety

OHRC is a partner in the National Center for Health, Behavioral Health, and Safety funded by the Office of Head Start.

  • Subscribe to the monthly e-newsletter Resources to Make You Smile!
  • Browse oral health resources on the Head Start website
  • Register for Making Toothbrushing Easy for Tiny Teeth (webinar)
    • Join this webinar on February 20, 2025, 1:00–2:00 p.m. ET to learn about the importance of brushing with fluoride toothpaste and about how to make brushing simple and fun at a Head Start program and at home. The webinar will be presented in English, with a simultaneous Spanish translation. 

Resources for Consumers

Educational materials for consumers in English and other languages are written in an easy-to-read style that is appropriate for all audiences, including those with low literacy levels. Permission statements to download, print, or photocopy appear on each item.

Brochures

These brochures are designed to provide families with information about the importance of oral hygiene and oral health care during pregnancy and after their infant is born. They also offer guidance about how to ensure that infants and young children enjoys the best possible oral health. Consumer brochures are available in two formats: trifold and full-page (double-sided). The brochures were produced by OHRC.

  • A Healthy Smile for Your Baby: Tips to Keep Your Baby Healthy: Trifold | Full-page
    (Spanish) Una sonrisa saludable para tu bebé: Consejos para mantener sano a tu bebé: Trifold | Full-page
  • A Healthy Smile for Your Young Child: Tips to Keep Your Child Healthy: Trifold | Full-page
    (Spanish) Una sonrisa saludable para tu niño pequeño: Consejos para mantener sano a tu niño: Trifold | Full-page
    (German) Ein gesundes Lächeln für Ihr kleines Kind: Tipps für gesunde Zähne Ihres Kindes: Full-page
  • Two Healthy Smiles: Tips to Keep You and Your Baby Healthy: Trifold | Full-page
    (Spanish) Dos sonrisas saludables: Consejos para mantenerte a ti y a tu bebé sanos: Trifold | Full-page
image showing collage of covers for Healthy Smile Brochures

Campaign Toolkit: A Healthy Mouth for Every Body

This toolkit offers resources to help people learn how to take good care of their oral health and how it is connected to overall health and well-being. These free materials—radio public service announcements, social media images and posts, fact sheets, and more—can be used for talking with others about oral health. The resources arewere produced by the Health Resources and Services Administration.

Think Teeth! Oral Health Outreach Tools

These materials promote good oral health and encourage families to enroll children eligible for Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Materials include posters, flyers, tear pads, and fact sheets that can be downloaded and printed. Some materials can be customized with an organization’s contact information. Tthe Customization Guide provides instructions. Several materials are available in 24 languages. Digital materials include videos, social media messages and images, and web banners and buttons. The materials were produced by the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

images from the Think Teeth: Oral Health Outreach campaign from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Videos

These videos for parents can be used to show them how to take care of their child’s teeth and to help them understand the importance of brushing with fluoride toothpaste. The videos were produced by Sesame Steet Workshop.