February is National Children’s Dental Health Month

February is National Children’s Dental Health Month. There are numerous medications that may be prescribed for pediatric dental patients. When patients or their parents come in, there are many ways to bring greater awareness to the importance of good dental health.

The theme for this year is “Sugar Wars.” Children are encouraged to fight against sugar consumption and follow good oral hygiene in order to win this war and defeat cavities. Posters and education ideas are available from the American Dental Association. These can be set up near the pick-up window to give parents the opportunity to become more aware of the importance of teaching their children about proper dental care.

There are numerous free items you can print for your customers. You could make them available at the counter, or include them in prescription packages. The website has a calendar for children to keep track of how often they brushed, coloring sheets, crossword puzzles, word searches, mazes, and activity sheets for various ages. You could utilize one of these, or create a complete dental health awareness bag and include a toothbrush, dental floss, and toothpaste.

One of the primary features of this year’s campaign, is how important it is for children to brush their teeth for two minutes, twice a day. The slogan for the proper brushing regimen is 2MIN2X, also has a website with free printables, activities, videos, and even text reminders for older children or teens.

If you want to create an in store display, you could set up a guessing game. Fill a large clear container with sugar free gum or candy and let children guess the total number. An oral health care prize pack could be awarded to the winner(s) who guess the exact total, or is closest to the total.

This is an excellent opportunity to reach out to your customers, and their children, and strengthen your relationship with both. Children are often scared of visiting the doctor, dentist, or pharmacist because when they are usually there due to being sick or in pain. Giving children and teens something they aren’t expecting that also has a component of fun, while still being educational and good for them, will help them build new associations with your business. It is also a good way to let your adult customers know that their health, as well as the health of their entire family, is important to you and your company.