ORAL HEALTH AMERICA ENCOURAGES ALL AMERICANS TO FALL FOR SMILES THIS SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER

ORAL HEALTH AMERICA ENCOURAGES ALL AMERICANS TO FALL FOR SMILES THIS SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER

Dental Publications and Professionals Invited to San Francisco for the Latest on Gum Health

CHICAGO, September 9, 2014 — Oral Health America’s (OHA) annual Fall for Smiles campaign kicked off on Sept. 1, educating Americans about the importance of maintaining a healthy mouth through daily brushing and flossing, regular dental visits, eating healthy foods and avoiding tobacco products. Two Americas are emerging when it comes to oral healthcare, with young adults, low-income Americans and those with lower education levels less likely to do daily dental care activities and receive regular dental cleanings. That makes this year’s campaign especially important. The key to the success of Fall for Smiles is spreading the message of the importance of oral health to overall health, and the Fall for Smiles webpage is full of resources that all Americans can use to participate.

The earlier children are taught how to take care of their teeth and mouths, the more likely they are to continue having good oral health habits for a lifetime. With that in mind, OHA’s Fall for Smiles webpage features several materials designed specifically for children. This includes a coloring sheet, brushing chart and activity booklet with experiments and activities that make learning about oral health fun. Parents can share the campaign tip sheet with their kids, explaining to them the basics of dental care so they can learn to take care of their teeth themselves.

Dental offices looking to participate in Fall for Smiles can take advantage of a specially created campaign booklet, which discusses the campaign in detail and is also available in a Spanish-language version. Offices can download a customizable campaign poster, Candy Drive poster (to trade Halloween candy for tooth-friendly treats) and a Fall for Smiles web button to use on their office website. OHA also encourages dental offices to participate in a Smile Contest by submitting photos of patients’ healthy smiles for a chance to win Zooby sample packs from Denticator. Offices looking to offer pro-bono care can apply for donated dental product through OHA’s Product Donation Project and promotei activities with a press release template that can be customized and sent to local media.

Anyone can spread the message of the importance of oral health with OHA’s letter to the editor template and social media guide. The letter to the editor is fully customizable and contains key points about the importance of oral health. The social media guide contains suggested language for Facebook, Twitter, enewsletters and more to help expand upon the Fall for Smiles messaging.

For more information about these resources and more, please visit the Fall for Smiles webpage at www.oralhealthamerica.org/fallforsmiles.

# # #