CHICAGO, November 14, 2014 – Oral Health America (OHA) has ended another successful Fall for Smiles campaign, educating tens of thousands of Americans about the importance of maintaining a healthy mouth through daily brushing and flossing, visiting the dentist, eating healthy foods and avoiding tobacco. Thanks to the support of our sponsors, dental professionals and families had access to a variety of free resources accessible on the Fall for Smiles webpage and in the Fall for Smiles campaign booklet that was distributed to more than 100,000 dental offices across the country.
“We greatly appreciate the support of our sponsors and the dental community with this year’s Fall for Smiles campaign,” said OHA President and CEO Beth Truett. “Having a healthy mouth is key to good overall health and we’re encouraged that the campaign generated more than 90 million audience impressions this year with this important message.”
Dental offices across the country participated by offering free care and going out into their communities to educate the public about the importance of oral health. In New York City, Dr. Bernard Fialkoff held an event to engage students in Fall for Smiles at the Ivy League Early Learning Academy of Bayside. Senator Tony Avella and Eric Schmitz of Patterson Dental joined him, handing out toothbrushes and toothpaste to students and talking to them about how to care for their teeth. Dental professionals also participated in the opening Fall for Smiles webinar, two Twitter chats, a photo contest and distributed campaign booklets and other free materials to their communities.
Families were able to make learning about oral health fun with the Fall for Smiles activity booklets, brushing charts and tip sheets. Older adults and their caregivers could access a tip sheet created specifically for them, addressing the unique challenges they face when caring for their mouths. Americans of all ages shared Fall for Smiles messages on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, sharing posts by OHA and utilizing the campaign’s social media guide.
This year’s Fall for Smiles campaign would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors: Dental Trade Alliance/Oral Healthcare Can’t Wait, Patterson Dental, 3M ESPE, Crest + OralB, Midmark, Denticator, Hu-Friedy, Trident, the American Association of Dental Office Managers, OSAP and the National Dental Association.
