America’s ToothFairy and Crest are working together this holiday season to grant “Smile Wishes” to worthy children, families, and organizations that are inspired to help their communities to be healthy. Their collaboration is part of Crest’s 12 Days of Crest Smiles in which 12 Smile Wishes are being granted across the country.
America’s ToothFairy identified six Smile Wish grant recipients who will each receive a grant to fulfill their wishes and impact their communities. Some will also receive dental hygiene supplies as needed.
The campaign kicked off with a visit from Santa to FirstHealth Dental Care in Southern Pines, North Carolina. The safety-net dental clinic provides essential dental care to thousands of low-income families and individuals living in their rural community with restricted access to dental care. Santa brought Crest toothpaste, fun oral health educational materials, and a toy for each child patient that day. The clinic also received a grant to expand access to care for the populations they serve.
Other grant recipients identified by America’s ToothFairy include:
- Middlesex Community College (MCC) Dental Assisting Club. The group will honor Nate Fabian, a recent graduate of MCC’s Dental Assistant Program who passed away in October. With their grant members of the club will establish an annual hygiene supply drive. This year, they will stock the House of Hope, a homeless shelter in Lowell, Massachusetts that serves as many as 58 families each night, and MCC’s campus food pantry that is available for students that are struggling with food insecurity.
- Curly Girl Dental Hygiene Education Initiative. Led by Amber Dansby of Chicago, Illinois, this initiative will help young African American girls learn about the importance of maintaining a healthy smile and encourage them to adopt healthy behaviors and positive attitudes towards healthy lifestyles.
- Dignity Duffle Bags for Foster Care Kids. Foster care kids often move from home carrying their belongings in trash bags, adding shame to an already traumatic experience. To earn their Silver Award, 8th grade Girl Scouts, Eva Geczi and Mileena Perez will use their Smile Wish grant to purchase and stuff new duffle bags with basic care items–including dental hygiene supplies–for kids in foster care. They will also offer informational meetings about foster care. They hope to impact hundreds of kids who are going through a particularly difficult time.
- Going the Extra Mile for Special Smiles. Tooth brushing is a fine motor skill that some children with developmental or physical disabilities struggle with. Gennette Robinson of Columbus, Mississippi will use her grant to provide appropriate oral health education and modified toothbrushes to help children with special needs and their parents properly take care of their teeth.
- Dental Care for Victims of Domestic Violence. The pediatric dentistry student club at the University of Iowa believes every individual deserves a safe environment and the necessary supplies and dental treatment for healthy everyday living. They will use their Smile Wish grant to partner with the Domestic Violence Intervention Program (DVIP) of Johnson County to provide children and parents–especially those experiencing homelessness–who are struggling to find a safe home life, necessary oral hygiene supplies, and dental treatment. DVIP serves approximately 200 children and 200 adults per year. Granting this Smile Wish will have a substantial impact on the lives of families served by the DVIP program!
“We are so excited to collaborate with Crest on this fun campaign,” remarked Jill Malmgren, Executive Director of America’s ToothFairy. “As a resource provider for organizations working to eliminate the oral health disparities of marginalized populations and individuals who raise awareness about the importance of good oral health, it was our pleasure to help Crest grant Smile Wishes for people who are making a real difference in the health of their communities.”
To learn more about the 12 Days of Crest Smiles and view the stories of all Smile Wishes granted this year, follow @Crest on Instagram or visit Crest.com to learn more about oral health.
About Crest
A trusted leader in oral health, Crest was the first oral care brand to secure the ADA Seal of Acceptance for a clinically proven fluoride toothpaste. Since first introducing fluoride toothpaste 65 years ago, it is estimated that Crest has helped prevent countless cavities in the United States.
About Procter & Gamble
P&G serves consumers around the world with one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Always, Ambi Pur, Ariel, Bounty, Charmin, Crest, Dawn, Downy, Fairy, Febreze, Gain, Gillette, Head & Shoulders, Lenor, Olay, Oral-B, Pampers, Pantene, SKII, Tide, Vicks, and Whisper. The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide.
Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and information about P&G and its brands.
About America’s ToothFairy: National Children’s Oral Health Foundation
As a resource provider, America’s ToothFairy increases access to oral health care by supporting nonprofit clinics and community partners delivering education, prevention and treatment services for underserved children. Since its inception in 2006, America’s ToothFairy has distributed more than $23 million in donated products, educational materials and financial grants to improve oral health outcomes for children and youth in need. For more information, visit AmericasToothFairy.org.
FEATURED IMAGE CREDIT: Atiya Walker on Unsplash
