K–12 Oral Health Education

National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center
Georgetown University Washington, DC 20057

E-mail: OHRCinfo@georgetown.edu
Website: https://www.mchoralhealth.org
Available from the website.

This fact sheet provides health professionals with information on issues related to child and adolescent oral health. Topics include dental caries, access to care, children and adolescents with special health care needs, dental sealants, fluorides, nutrition, injury and violence, and tobacco. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

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National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center
Georgetown University Washington, DC 20057

E-mail: OHRCinfo@georgetown.edu
Website: https://www.mchoralhealth.org
Available from the website.

This guide provides resources to help health professionals, educators, parents, and others promote oral health and prevent oral disease in school-age children and adolescents. The guide is divided into two sections. The first section describes materials such as brochures, fact sheets, guidelines, curricula, and reports. The second section lists federal agencies and national organizations that may serve as resources. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

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National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center
Georgetown University Washington, DC 20057

E-mail: OHRCinfo@georgetown.edu
Website: https://www.mchoralhealth.org
Available from the website.

This fact sheet presents information on the effects of poor oral health on learning in school-age children. Topics include the impact of poor oral health on school performance and social relationships, nutrition and learning, school attendance and learning, and programs for improving oral health. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

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Alabama Department of Public Health, Oral Health Branch
Family Health Services Bureau RSA Tower 201 Monroe Street, Suite 1350
Montgomery, AL 36104

Telephone: (334) 206-5675
Secondary Telephone: (334) 206-2950
Website: http://www.adph.org/oralhealth/Default.asp?id=1324
Available from the website.

These activity books provide information about oral health and promote oral health to children. One book is for children from kindergarten to grade 4, and the other is for children in grades 5 and up. Activities include coloring, crossword puzzles, word games, and comics that can be colored.

• Link
• K–4

American Dental Association
211 East Chicago Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611-2678

Telephone: (312) 440-2500
Fax: (312) 440-7494
E-mail: info@ada.org
Website: http://www.ada.org
Available from the website.

These resources are designed to help students in preschool through eighth grade develop good oral hygiene habits. Contents include the following lesson plans: Shining Smiles! for students ages 4–7, A Lifetime of Healthy Smiles! for students in second and third grade, Teeth to Treasure! for students in fourth through sixth grade, and Watch Your Mouth! for students in seventh and eighth grade. Additional contents include hands-on classroom demonstrations, videos, and other activities and materials to support the lesson plans. Information about careers in dentistry, presentations, and other resources for educators are also available. The lesson plans were written in 2005; the Oral Health and You presentation and crossword puzzle were added or updated in 2021.

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Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures™
300 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10022

Telephone: (800) 468-6502
Secondary Telephone: (212) 310-2000
Website: https://www.colgate.com/en-us/oral-health-education
Available from the website.

This teacher's guide presents an activity-based oral health lessons and resources for kindergarten and first grade classrooms. The lessons are designed to be integrated into curricula. For each lesson, a summary is presented, as well as a learning goal, guidelines for how to prepare the lesson, the amount of time it takes to complete the lesson, and ideas for how students can share what the learned with their family. Resources such as a video, a storybook, and a two-sided wall chart are included. zzz

• Link

Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures™
300 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10022

Telephone: (800) 468-6502
Secondary Telephone: (212) 310-2000
Website: https://www.colgate.com/en-us/oral-health-education
Available from the website.

This health education program guide is designed to help teachers integrate oral health into an existing curriculum for students in grades 2–3. The program uses a standards-based approach to cover core learning objectives that can be adapted to classroom needs. The guide contains developmentally appropriate lesson plans designed to challenge children to take responsibility for their own oral health. Ideas for getting parents and other family members involved with the topic of oral health are included throughout the guide. Additional program components include a video featuring two cartoon dentists who have mentored a group of children to become Tooth Defender "superheroes;" a storybook; a poster; and a parent take-home.

• Link
• Program Website