Donate
For a family struggling to make ends meet, oral health may compete with groceries, housing and other immediate needs.
For a young child, learning to take care of their teeth may happen long before they fully understand why it matters.
And when a child comes down with the flu, strep throat or another illness, replacing a toothbrush may not be the first thing on a busy parent’s mind.
That is why America’s ToothFairy works to make oral health resources available in places families already know and trust.
In 2026, the Delta Dental of Oklahoma Foundation awarded America’s ToothFairy three grants totaling $50,000 and provided $33,120 worth of donated dental hygiene kits to help reach Oklahoma children and their caregivers through food pantries, public libraries and childcare providers.
Together, these three initiatives are creating multiple opportunities for families to receive the supplies, information and encouragement they need to build healthier smiles.
Food pantries provide more than groceries. For families facing financial hardship, they are often trusted sources of help with many basic needs.
Through the Oklahoma Smile Guardian Food Bank Initiative, 10,000 children and their caregivers received oral health resources and hygiene supplies through community organizations serving families experiencing food insecurity. The initiative built upon an earlier Delta Dental of Oklahoma Foundation-supported program, with the amount of educational resources available to participating partners doubled in response to previous feedback.
Children received hygiene kits along with activity booklets designed to make learning about oral health and nutrition engaging. Caregivers received information about healthy habits, finding a safety-net dental clinic, SoonerCare and the Delta Dental HelpLine. Participating organizations also received displays and access to additional digital resources they can continue sharing with families.
For some community partners, the need for something as basic as a toothbrush is clear.
“The most useful resource in our dental kits is the toothbrush,” said Angela Tollett of Wagoner Area Neighbors. “Many of the children and families we serve struggle to afford basic hygiene necessities.”
At Owasso Community Resources, Mendi Burns said the kits arrived at an especially useful time.
“We see a lot of kids in the summer during our Food Assistance Programs, so we were happy to share these kits with all the kids who come with their families for assistance,” Burns said.
And in Tulsa, the kits became part of a broader effort to provide families with necessities that are not always available through traditional food assistance. Church of Saint Mary Outreach serves more than 400 people each month with pantry and toiletry services, according to Director of Outreach Jackie Fusco.
“Our pantry stands out in our city because of this extra step of providing toiletries,” Fusco said.
Libraries may not be the first places that come to mind when thinking about children's oral health, but they are uniquely positioned to reach families with trustworthy information in a welcoming environment.
Through the Oklahoma Storytime Smiles Initiative, 5,000 children and their caregivers received oral health resources designed to make healthy habits approachable and fun. Participating libraries received children's books for oral health-focused storytimes, activity booklets, bookmarks, hygiene supplies and information to help families connect with dental care.
At Woodward Public Library, those resources fit naturally into programming Children's Librarian Tonia Brooks was already providing.
“Every February, I host a ‘Taking Care of Our Teeth’ storytime in celebration of National Children’s Dental Health Month,” Brooks said. “The children absolutely LOVE getting to take home their very own toothbrush and dental accessories.”
Brooks said having something children can take home makes the lesson both more memorable and more useful.
At Patrick Lynch Public Library in Poteau, Mona Goodrich saw a similar response.
“The children were excited to receive their own dental care supplies, and the parents were truly appreciative of the kit and the information it provided,” Goodrich said.
The resources were designed to do more than encourage children to brush. Caregiver materials included information about SoonerCare, the Delta Dental HelpLine and safety-net dental clinics, helping turn a visit to the library into another opportunity to connect a family with care.
The third initiative brings oral health education into another place where parents make decisions about their children's health every day: childcare.
Through the Oklahoma Swap When Sick Initiative, 3,000 children and their caregivers received oral health resources through childcare providers serving low-income families, with a particular focus on rural communities and areas with shortages of dental health professionals.
The idea is simple: when a child becomes sick or returns to childcare after an illness, parents receive a hygiene kit along with a reminder to replace the child's toothbrush.
The initiative also provides activity booklets, brushing charts and hygiene bags for children; oral health information for parents and caregivers; posters and countertop displays for childcare facilities; and access to downloadable resources. Families can also find information about SoonerCare, the Delta Dental HelpLine and locating a safety-net dental provider.
While replacing a toothbrush may seem like a small step, the program uses that moment to reinforce a much bigger message: a healthy mouth is part of a healthy body.
Across all three initiatives, the goal is not simply to hand a child a toothbrush.
It is to make oral health easier to think about, learn about and act on.
A parent picking up groceries can also receive resources to help care for their child's smile. A library storytime can turn brushing into something fun and memorable. A child's return to daycare after an illness can become a reminder to replace a toothbrush and talk about preventing the spread of germs.
And each encounter gives families another pathway to information about dental coverage and providers when care is needed.
By investing in community organizations that families already trust, the Delta Dental of Oklahoma Foundation is helping oral health become part of the support Oklahoma families encounter in everyday life.
Altogether, the three 2026 initiatives are reaching 18,000 children and their caregivers with oral health education and resources.
We are grateful to the Delta Dental of Oklahoma Foundation for its investment to create more places across Oklahoma where families can find support for healthier smiles.
