Crest and Oral-B have expanded their partnership with America’s ToothFairy through retail campaigns and product donations supporting dental services, oral health education, and access to oral hygiene supplies for children and families. The collaboration is part of Crest and Oral-B’s Closing America’s Smile Gap program, which works with nonprofit organizations, retailers, and dental professionals to address barriers to oral healthcare.
The current efforts are expected to reach more than 250,000 children and caregivers through professional dental care, education, and oral hygiene products.
“For many of the families our nonprofit dental partners serve, oral health isn’t being neglected because parents don’t care,” said Jill Malmgren, executive director of America’s ToothFairy. “They are making difficult decisions about how to stretch limited resources while also navigating barriers to professional dental care. By supporting both preventive services and education, Crest and Oral-B are helping children get the care they need today while giving families knowledge and tools that can protect their health for years to come.”
Over the past year, campaigns involving participating Crest and Oral-B products at Albertsons, Wegmans, and CVS generated funding for America’s ToothFairy’s National Cleaning Initiative, for which Crest and Oral-B serve as title sponsors. For each qualifying product sold, funds were generated to provide a professional dental cleaning for a child in need.
The campaigns supported more than 146,000 dental cleanings through members of America’s ToothFairy’s Dental Resource Program. Educational resources associated with the effort are also intended to reach 25,000 families. The program includes nonprofit dental clinics and community-based oral health programs serving children who encounter financial, geographic, and other barriers to dental services.
“Closing America’s Smile Gap means addressing the barriers that prevent children from receiving essential dental care while also helping families understand the important role oral health plays in overall health,” said Benjamin Binot, global oral care president at Procter & Gamble. “Through our partnership with America’s ToothFairy and participating retailers, everyday purchases can help children receive preventive care and gain the knowledge they need to build healthy habits that last a lifetime.”
The partnership also includes donations of Crest Gum Detoxify toothpaste, Crest Kids Sparkle Fun toothpaste, Oral-B Advanced White toothbrushes, Crest Clean Mint mouthwash, and Oral-B Glide Scope floss picks for distribution through America’s ToothFairy and its nonprofit partners.
According to research commissioned by Procter & Gamble, 76% of respondents to a survey said they were motivated to care for their oral health, while 3% associated oral health with whole-body health. Eighty percent said oral care would feel more important if they better understood its effect on overall health.
America’s ToothFairy supports nonprofit clinics and community partners providing oral health education, prevention, and treatment services for underserved children. According to the organization, it has provided resources reaching more than 16 million children and caregivers since 2006.
More information is available at www.americastoothfairy.org.
