National Children’s Dental Health Month
Maintaining those young smiles, preventing cavities, and fostering lifelong oral wellness, a crucial aspect of overall child development.
Drive dental appointments and oral hygiene product sales by positioning February as the month parents commit to their children's lifelong dental health and academic success.
- Connect healthy teeth to better grades: kids with good oral health miss less school and perform better academically
- February appointment reminder campaign: 'Schedule now for a healthier smile and healthier future'
- Educational content series on age-appropriate oral hygiene habits from babies to teens
- Partner with pediatric dentists and hygienists to offer February cleaning specials and parent-child education events
Campaign ideas8
- School-Based Classroom Activation: Partner with schools to provide ADA-approved activity sheets, coloring pages, and 'Tooth Team' posters for elementary classrooms; offer in-class dental hygienist presentations and fluoride application programs.
- Community Dental Screening Events: Host free or subsidized dental screenings and cleanings at local community centers, libraries, and schools; provide families with preventive care tips and product samples.
- Parent-Educator Email Campaign: Send segmented email blasts to parents with age-specific brushing guides, first-visit tips, and product recommendations; include download links to free ADA brushing calendars and activity printables.
- Social Media Cavity-Free Challenge: Launch a month-long Instagram/TikTok contest encouraging kids to share brushing videos or 'healthy smile' photos with your branded hashtag; prize packages include branded toothbrushes and fluoride products.
- In-Office & In-Store Promotions: Run kids' dental packages (discounted cleanings, fluoride treatments, mouth guards); distribute branded toothbrushes, activity kits, and 'First Visit Certificates' to new pediatric patients.
- Influencer & Parent Partnership Program: Collaborate with mommy bloggers and pediatric health influencers to amplify oral health messaging and reach engaged parent audiences via sponsored posts and gift guides.
- Educational Content Series: Create short YouTube/TikTok educational videos ('Brush vs. Floss Myths,' 'What to Expect at the Dentist,' 'Sugar's Impact on Teeth') aimed at both kids and parents; repurpose as email content and paid ads.
- Sponsorship of Local Children's Events: Sponsor or exhibit at back-to-school events, health fairs, and children's festivals with interactive booths (spin-to-win games, face painting, free product giveaways).
Social angles6
- 🦷 February is Children's Dental Health Month! Healthy smiles start early. From fun brushing tips to confidence-building first visits, we're here to help your little ones feel comfortable at the dentist. #NCDHM #ChildrensOralHealth #SmileStarter
- Brush, Floss, Smile! 😁 Did you know cavities are the #1 chronic childhood disease in the U.S.? Help your kids build lifelong habits NOW. Share your family's best dental tips in the comments! #DentalHealth #ParentingWins #HealthyTeeth
- Your child's first dental visit matters. By age 1 or when that first tooth erupts, schedule a 'dental home.' We make first visits fun & confidence-building. Let's start those healthy habits early! 🚀 #DentalCare #KidsDentist #NCDHM2026
- Poll: Does your kid LOVE brushing their teeth? 🪥 Drop a 👍 or 😅 in the comments. This month, we're sharing hacks to make brushing FUN. What's your family's favorite dental health tip? #DentalHealth #ParentCommunity
- Real talk: Kids with untreated cavities can't focus in school & feel less confident. Prevent dental disease now with regular checkups & good habits. We partner with families to build smiles for life. #ChildrensMentalHealth #DentalCare #NCDHM
- 🎉 Celebrate Children's Dental Health Month with us! Free downloadables: brushing charts, coloring pages & 'Tooth Team' posters. Drop by our office or DM for resources. Let's make dental care a family celebration! #FreeResources #HealthyKids
Ad copy starters5
“Start Their Smile Journey This February 🦷 Schedule your child's first dental visit—healthy habits start early. Free fluoride screening with first appointment. Book now.”
“Is Your Kid's Toothbrush Game Strong? We're celebrating Children's Dental Health Month with fun tips, contests & prizes. Follow us for daily brushing hacks & downloadable activity sheets.”
“Cavities Are Preventable. Smiles Are Not Negotiable. This February, help your child build a lifetime of healthy teeth. New patient special: $59 kids' cleaning + exam.”
“Your Child's Confidence Starts With a Healthy Smile 💪 Don't let cavities hold them back. Free oral health screening & parent education at [Location]. This month only.”
“Brush. Floss. Smile. Simple habits, lasting impact. New downloadable brushing calendar & coloring pages inside—plus enter our kids' smile photo contest for a chance to win.”
Tips4
- DO: Partner with schools early (December/January) to maximize classroom reach in February; leverage ADA's free downloadable materials to reduce content creation costs and add credibility.
- DON'T: Treat this as a kids-only campaign—parents are the decision-makers; segment messaging to address parental fears (cost, fear, first-visit anxiety) alongside kid-friendly content.
- DO: Use this month to capture multi-generational patients; emphasize how pediatric care creates 'dental homes' that lead to lifetime family relationships (critical for patient lifetime value).
- DON'T: Miss the educational angle; position your brand as the local oral health authority by sharing myth-busting, prevention tips, and age-specific guidance—this builds trust far beyond the transactional sale.
More than people might expect, the dental care of a child can have a huge impact on the way that a child grows up in the world. In fact, studies have shown that children with poor dental hygiene practices are much more likely to have other issues, including missing school and even receiving lower grades.
Kids who have pain due to dental problems are more likely to have problems with speaking, eating, playing and even learning!
In addition, good oral health is a vital part of the larger picture of a child’s overall health. With the possibility of preventing infections, tooth decay, plaque and gum disease, regular brushing, checkups and other healthy practices will prepare kids for a happier and healthier body throughout their whole lives.
National Children’s Dental Health Month is a collaboration of the American Dental Association (ADA), along with some oral care companies, including Crest and Oral B.
It originally took place as a day-long celebration in 1949 and then, in 1981, the event was extended to become Naitonal Children’s Dental Health Month.
The event is supported and observed through a number of different governmental organizations as well as charities, including the National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center (OHRC), the Women, Infants and Children program (WIC), the American Dental Hygienists Association, and several others.
The purpose of this event is to raise awareness about the need for good dental hygiene in children, as well as providing resources for families who might need a helping hand. This is a great time for a wide range of people in the community to get involved with the day and be a part of getting kids off to a good start in their dental hygiene journey!
Make a Dentist Appointment
Those who don’t have regularly scheduled dentist appointments for their kids might want to use National Children’s Dental Health Month as a motivation to get them scheduled. Those whose kids aren’t in the habit of going to the dentist should be sure to help them understand what will happen while they are there, putting them at ease and trying to provide them with confidence. Be sure to schedule a time to visit the hygienist for cleaning as well as getting a checkup from the dentist and x-rays too. During the visit to the office, ask the hygienist to be sure to teach the child some tricks and skills that will help them have better oral health on a regular basis. Learn and Share Oral Health Tips Show some support for National Children’s Dental Health Month by learning about and sharing some facts and tips that can help kids and families build better habits for dental hygiene and health. Consider some of these oral health tips to get started with:For older kids, be sure to brush the teeth two times every day and also floss regularly.Everyone should visit the dentist as soon as their first tooth appears (yes, even babies!) and then go regularly after that, usually at least two times per year.Start oral hygiene early with babies by wiping the gums with a soft cloth after eating.Be sure children eat healthy foods that are good for the teeth (apples, carrots, etc.) and avoid sugary foods that can cause tooth decay.
Make Children’s Dental Health Month Fun
When kids associate dental health with fun and excitement (instead of stress and pain) they are more likely to want to take good care of their teeth and mouth. In honor of National Children’s Dental Health Month, parents, teachers and other kid influencers can try to engage with fun activities through crafts, music, songs, games, projects and other ways. The more kids are involved with oral health through things they enjoy, the more likely they will be to build good habits that last long into the future. Get on board with some other days that encourage the celebration of good dental health and hygiene, including National Tooth Fairy Day and National Give Kids a Smile Day in February, or National Dentists Day in the month of March.