America’s ToothFairy will launch its fifth annual My Smile Matters campaign October 1 in recognition of Dental Hygiene Month, providing dental professionals, educators, and community organizations with resources for oral health education and outreach.
Since the campaign began in 2022, participants have used its educational resources to reach approximately 550,000 children, parents, and caregivers, according to America’s ToothFairy. Participation has included dental practices as well as schools, public health programs, libraries, childcare organizations, universities, and other community groups.
The campaign also includes the organization’s 2026 Outstanding Dental Hygienist Awards. Nominations are open through September 30 for dental hygienists whose work addresses access, education, or oral health outcomes among underserved populations.
Past honorees have provided preventive services in schools and rural communities, developed mobile and teledental programs, worked to increase access for patients with special healthcare needs, organized free-care events, mentored dental professionals, and participated in community advocacy.
“For 20 years, we’ve seen how much one committed dental professional can change the trajectory of a child’s oral health,” said Jill Malmgren, executive director of America’s ToothFairy. “The hygienists we want to recognize are the people who see a barrier to care and find a way around it. They use their skills, compassion and leadership to reach children and families who might otherwise be overlooked.”
Previous recipients include Amber Lovatos, RDH, BSDH, a 2022 honoree whose work has included public health advocacy, education, community outreach, mentorship, and professional development initiatives. Crystal Spring, RDH, recognized in 2025, founded Smiles Across Montana, a nonprofit mobile and teledental organization providing preventive and diagnostic services in schools, Head Start programs, nursing homes, and tribal communities. According to the release, the organization has served more than 12,000 patients since its founding in 2018.
Other My Smile Matters activities include the Rate Your Candy Contest, through which dental offices can provide forms encouraging young patients to consider sugar, acidity, texture, and other factors related to candy and oral health. Five contest winners will each receive $100. The campaign also provides printable activities and handouts for children, teens, parents, and caregivers, as well as social media materials that practices and community organizations can use during October.
America’s ToothFairy is marking its 20th anniversary in 2026. The organization supports nonprofit clinics and community partners that provide oral health education, prevention, and treatment services for underserved children through donated products, educational resources, and financial support.
My Smile Matters runs throughout October. More information about hygienist nominations, educational resources, and Rate Your Candy contest materials is available at MySmileMatters.org.
