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A child may learn about healthy teeth at the dentist, but many of the most meaningful lessons happen somewhere else.
They happen during story time at the library, in a school classroom, at a food pantry, in a clinic waiting room, at a community health event, or at home with a worksheet and a new toothbrush.
That is why America’s ToothFairy makes oral health education available wherever children and families learn, gather, and receive support.
In 2026,* America’s ToothFairy expanded access to oral health education through free downloadable HERO Program materials, Smile Guardian Program education kits, and two national awareness campaigns: My Smile Matters and Share Your Smile. Together, these programs created more than 1.15 million estimated education touchpoints for children, caregivers, educators, health professionals, and community advocates.
Each effort served a different purpose, but the goal was the same: help children build healthy habits early and give families practical tools to prevent tooth decay.
Through our HERO Program, sponsored by Align Technology (the makers of Invisalign,) educators and parents, dental professionals, health departments, clinics, schools, and community organizations can access free oral health education materials they can use with the children and families they serve.
This year, more than 2,100 people accessed our free downloadable materials. Together, they estimated those resources would reach a new annual record of 768,451 children and caregivers, including 650,626 through English materials and 117,825 through non-English materials.
Since tracking began in 2020, downloadable HERO materials have helped reach more than 3,600,000 people.
These downloads reflect the broad need for simple, ready-to-use oral health education. Materials were accessed by people affiliated with school districts, public health departments, dental clinics, hospitals, universities, nonprofits, community programs, and government agencies, including Indian Health Service, University of Minnesota, University of Pittsburgh Medical Centers, and Denver, Detroit and New York City's Public Schools, to name a few.
By making these resources free and easy to download, we help oral health advocates teach prevention without having to create materials from scratch or pay for resources their programs may not be able to afford.
The Smile Guardian Program provided printed oral health education resources and oral care products for families served by libraries, schools, clinics, food pantries, healthcare offices, and community outreach programs.
This year, Smile Guardian kits reached children and families in 47 states with materials designed for the setting where they would be used. Storytime Smiles kits helped libraries introduce young children to oral health through books, activities, brushing trackers, bookmarks, parent tips, toothbrushes, and superhero-themed materials. Nutrition & Oral Health kits helped food banks and food pantries teach families how food choices affect oral and overall health. Swap When Sick kits helped healthcare offices, schools, and community programs teach children and parents why replacing a toothbrush after illness can help prevent reinfection.
Other Smile Guardian kits supported classrooms, Head Start programs, screenings, after-school programs, health fairs, home visits, and community outreach events with activity booklets, rack cards, bookmarks, toothbrushes, toothpaste, posters, handheld signs, capes, masks, and banners.
At Let’s Smile, Inc. in Owatonna, Minnesota, Holly Jorgensen said the Swap When Sick materials made an important prevention message easy for children to understand.
“Teaching students when and why to replace their toothbrush after illness is such a simple but powerful preventive health message,” Jorgensen said, “and this resource makes it engaging, memorable, and actionable.”
At Canon City Public Library in Colorado, staff shared that children “really enjoyed getting their very own bag with a brand new toothbrush and activity book to color,” adding that the children were “so proud to have something that was truly their very own.”
At Scenic Bluffs Community Health Centers in Cashton, Wisconsin, Samantha Knutson said the resources were useful across the organization’s dental, medical, and school-based programs.
“As a Community Health Center with integrated services, this toolkit was beneficial in multiple departments,” Knutson said.
Together, Smile Guardian kits helped trusted local partners turn oral health education into something children could see, touch, practice, and take home.
Get more details about the impact of Smile Guardian resource kits here.
In October, we celebrated National Dental Hygiene Month through our fourth annual My Smile Matters campaign, sponsored by Dentsply Sirona and Darby Dental Supply.
The campaign reached more than 181,000 people in 44 states and four countries, making it the most impactful My Smile Matters campaign to date. Participants included public health departments, schools, libraries, outreach organizations, dental clinics, and other community partners.
Through the campaign, 210 individuals and organizations downloaded educational materials, while 173 downloaded the matching social media kit. These free resources helped oral health advocates teach children and caregivers about healthy smiles, prevention, and the connection between oral health and overall health.
The campaign also used fun, kid-friendly activities to reinforce healthy choices. The Rate Your Candy contest helped children evaluate the dental danger level of Halloween candy while learning practical ways to protect their teeth from the Mouth Monsters. Five children won $100 Visa gift cards for participating.
My Smile Matters also honored five Outstanding Dental Hygienists who go above and beyond to serve children in their communities: Sade Morel, RDHAP; Christine Sanaphay; Crystal Spring, RDH; Lisa Valdez, RDH; and Jennifer Nowotney, RDHAP. Their work reflected the heart of the campaign: compassion, prevention, innovation, and access.
By combining free educational resources, social media outreach, a kid-friendly contest, and recognition for dental hygienists serving vulnerable children, My Smile Matters helped more families understand that healthy smiles are part of healthy lives. Read more about it here.
During Oral Health Month in June, we launched Share Your Smile to help educators, health professionals, and community partners teach children about oral health in summer programs, schools, libraries, clinics, family resource centers, and community events.
This year, 334 educators, health professionals, and community partners downloaded free Share Your Smile materials. Together, they estimated they could reach more than 131,000 children and caregivers. Participants came from at least 43 states and Canada and represented schools, libraries, local health departments, dental clinics, hospitals, community action agencies, nonprofits, and other outreach programs.
Recognizable organizations accessing the materials included Cook Children’s, UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, Montefiore Einstein, UnitedHealthcare, New York City Public Schools, Saskatchewan Health Authority, AltaMed, and The Ohio State University.
The 2026 materials gave participants new ways to make oral health education practical, engaging, and connected to children’s everyday lives. New resources explored the relationship between food choices, blood sugar, diabetes, and oral health. The new Build Your Plate activity helped children think about the foods and drinks they choose every day, while new dietary guidelines and diabetes resources helped families understand the impact of what they eat on their oral and overall health.
Older students could also take a more active role through a new middle- and high-school project guide that encouraged them to explore oral health needs in their own communities, and learn about careers in dentistry.
The campaign’s hands-on activities helped children see how beverages affect tooth enamel, how the oral microbiome affects teeth and gums, and why brushing, healthy food choices, and regular dental care matter.
The learning also continues beyond Oral Health Month. Share Your Smile materials remain available throughout the summer, and the Share Your Smile Habit Tracker Contest encourages children to practice daily brushing and flossing habits for a chance to win prizes.
With support from Sun Life, DentaQuest, and Ordo, Share Your Smile helped more children and families connect everyday choices with healthier smiles. Read more about the campaign's success here.
America’s ToothFairy’s education programs work because they are built for the real places where children and families spend their time.
A teacher can download a HERO activity for the classroom. A librarian can turn story time into a lesson about brushing. A food pantry can help families understand how nutrition affects oral health. A clinic can remind families to swap toothbrushes after illness. A community advocate can use a campaign toolkit to spread practical prevention messages online and in person.
Each resource is different, but the purpose is the same: make oral health education easier to access, easier to teach, and easier for families to use at home.
America’s ToothFairy is grateful to the sponsors who helped make 2026 education programs and campaigns possible, including our HERO Program Title Sponsor Align Technology, as well as Dentsply Sirona, Darby Dental Supply, Sun Life, DentaQuest, Ordo, Cranberry, Boka, Delta Dental of Kentucky, Delta Dental Foundation and Delta Dental of North Carolina, Delta Dental of Oklahoma Foundation, GoTu, MGE: Management Experts, the Patterson Foundation, and the Schattner Foundation.
Together, their support helped children and families learn how to protect their smiles today and build healthy habits for the future.
