Educators: February is National Children's Dental Health Month

by the American Dental Association

The American Dental Association held the first national observance of Children's Dental Health Day on February 8, 1949. This single day observance became a week-long event in 1955. In 1981, the program was extended to a month-long celebration known today as National Children's Dental Health Month.

Since 1941, the observance has grown from a two-city event into a nationwide program. NCDHM messages reach millions of people in communities across the country and at numerous armed service bases abroad. Local observances often include poster, coloring, and essay contests, health fairs, free dental screenings, museum exhibits, classroom presentations and dental office tours.

The American Dental Association produces a program planning kit for its state and local societies and dental alliances to assist them in local promotional efforts. Planning kits include a poster, planning workbook, suggested resources, reproducible handouts, and publicity information. Posters are also available to the dental societies for use in classroom visits.

Teachers, educators, speakers and health professionals may download coloring sheets and word games to assist in their educational efforts by visiting the ADA site.