World Oral Health Day is celebrated on March 20 every year. An initiative of FDI World Dental Federation, the goal of World Oral Health Day is to “empower people with knowledge, tools and confidence to secure good oral health.”
We’re committed to providing resources to organizations that increase access to oral health care and enhance the communities we serve. This World Oral Health Day, we hope you’ll join us in the worldwide effort to bring awareness to the importance of oral health care and its relation to overall health and well-being.
The current theme for World Oral Health Day is “Be Proud of Your Mouth,” which recognizes that oral health “is not about having a perfect mouth; it is about having a healthy one.” The overall purpose behind World Oral Health Day is clear: strive for good oral health for not only your happiness, but also your overall health and well-being.
If you’ve never participated in World Oral Health Day before or you’re looking for new ways to celebrate, here are a few ideas on how you can make an impact:
- Take time to volunteer. Nonprofit organizations like Dental Lifeline Network organize events that offer free, comprehensive dental treatment to vulnerable people with disabilities or who are elderly or medically fragile. If you’re unable to donate your time and services on World Oral Health Day itself, consider making a commitment to volunteer by joining the Dental Lifeline Network’s flagship program Donated Dental Services (DDS) to make a positive impact in your community in the future. Similar nonprofit organizations to consider are Give Kids A Smile and Mission of Mercy.
- Promote good oral health in your community. Along with offering free services, another rewarding way to celebrate World Oral Health Day is to offer to speak at a youth group or host a free webinar for parents on how to make oral health a priority with their children. Want to go bigger? Consider organizing a collaborative well-being event with yoga, healthy cooking and free dental check-ups.
- Decorate your dental practice. Download some of the World Oral Health Day posters and other resources at worldoralhealthday.org/resources and post throughout your office. Use these resources to spark conversations with your patients about the importance of oral health for overall health.
- Spread the word about World Oral Health Day. Share the World Oral Health Day video on your social media pages and blog. Send out a special email about World Oral Health Day and how your practice is celebrating or how your patients can get involved. Encourage your colleagues, peers and others in the greater health community to share their story on social media as well. Be sure to use relevant hashtags in your social media posts: #WorldOralHealthDay, #MouthProud, #WOHD22 and #OralHealth.
Hopefully these ideas will help your practice and your colleagues get involved with World Oral Health Day 2022. For more ideas, read our 2021 World Oral Health Day blog post or download the Action Toolkit for oral healthcare professionals and the wider healthcare community.
By participating in a global event like World Oral Health Day, you’ll show your patients and your community that your practice is committed to improving lives by sharing the knowledge and tools needed for good oral health.
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