February is National Children’s Dental Health Month which is sponsored by the American Dental Association (ADA) and aims to raise awareness about the importance of oral health. This year’s campaign, “Get a Gold Medal Smile,” aims to organize “thousands of dedicated dental professionals, health care providers and others to promote the benefits of good oral health to children and adults, caregivers, teachers, and many others.”1 In order for children to sustain complete oral health throughout their lifetime they need to develop good habits, such as scheduling regular dental appointments, at a young age.2 Through promotion of good oral health, children can begin to understand the importance of developing healthy dental habits throughout their lifespan.
During this month-long initiative, dental health professionals are invited to participate in activities and events, publicize oral health messages, and promote healthy habits to children and their parents. TRAIN, the nation’s premier learning management system for professionals and volunteers who protect the public’s health, provides training opportunities to help dental health and early childhood professionals gain the knowledge and skills necessary to carry out these tasks. Some examples of the trainings offered include:
Get involved in this year’s National Children’s Dental Health Month by registering for a free TRAIN account today and completing the trainings above. Make sure you are prepared to effectively promote and publicize oral health messages to make this initiative a successful one.
1. National Children’s Dental Health Month. http://www.ada.org/5578.aspx. Accessed February 4, 2013.
2. National Children’s Dental Health Month. http://www.ada.org/5578.aspx. Accessed February 4, 2013.