NATIONAL CHIDREN’S DENTAL HEALTH MONTH--- MARKET YOUR PRACTICE AS YOU PROMOTE LIFELONG ORAL HEALTH FOR KIDS

February of each year is NCDHM, a public health observance begun by the dental profession to publicize and promote the benefits of good oral health to children, their parents or caregivers, their teachers, and the general public.  Many dentists and team members take full advantage of this public awareness opportunity to promote their practice as one that focuses on oral health for all, beginning in childhood, rather than repair of dental disease.

NCDHM began as a one-day event on February 3, 1941 in Cleveland, Ohio.  The American Dental Association held its first observance in 1949.  1955 saw the day-long event become a week-long effort, and in 1981 a month-long observance was begun.  Millions of Americans have been reached with NCDHM messages and materials, thereby emphasizing the importance of a lifetime of oral health, a necessity to maintaining overall physical well-being.

To call attention to your office as a community-wide resource for information and care to maintain oral health, make certain local media outlets receive articles and press releases about the ways your practice celebrates NCDHM.  Additionally, post news online and via other public outlets such as health club newsletters, library bulletin boards, hospital newsletters, Chamber of Commerce bulletins, etc.

Among activities and events, you may choose to sponsor coloring and essay contests, offer free dental screenings and hygiene care instruction along with toothbrush giveaways, participate in health fairs, display children’s museum exhibits, offer classroom presentations by the practice’s health educator or the dentist, and open your office at certain hours for tours.  Offer to mentor Boy or Girls Scout dental merit badge work and become a career counselor at local high schools.  The increased visibility of your office through such efforts as part of your celebration of NCDHM can become a dynamic marketing program, attracting adults as well as children to your practice.

The 2017 NCDHM theme, Choose Tap Water for a Sparkling Smile, focuses on the value of water VS sweetened beverages and the reminder that if a community water supply is fluoridated or has natural fluoride, tap water adds an invaluable tool for the prevention of decay to the consumer’s diet.  Free posters, coloring sheets for down loading, and other resources for N nare  CDHM are available in English or Spanish at www.ADA.org/NCDHM. Also be sure to order extra toothbrushes from Practicon, Inc.  Check the catalog recently sent to your office to see our huge selection of top quality brushes with rock-bottom prices or shop online at www.practicon.com.