CTDHP Children’s Dental Health Promotion Toolkit
It’s National Children’s Dental Health Month Again!
National Children’s Dental Health Month began as a one-day event in Cleveland, Ohio, on February 3, 1941 – over 80 years ago! The American Dental Association held the first national observance of Children’s Dental Health Day in 1949 and it became a weeklong event in 1955. And, in 1981, the program was extended to a month-long observance known today as National Children’s Dental Health Month.Children’s Dental Health Month at the Connecticut Dental Health Partnership
Building off the successes and lessons learned over the past several years, CTDHP is excited to launch its 2026 Children’s Dental Health Month campaign that will work toward improving the overall oral health literacy for all children, including HUSKY Health children.
This year, we are excited to announce an upcoming Popcorn & PJs virtual event we are sponsoring along with Read to Grow. On February 24th, Deborah Diesen, author of Pout-Pout Fish will be reading from two of her books: Pout-Pout Fish Goes to the Dentist, and Pout-Pout Fish and the Can’t Sleep Blues.
Registration is limited to 60 families and is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration will close on Friday, February 13th.
We have also prepared a flyer that you may download and print out or send out digitally. See below!
Additionally, Dr. Tooth Fairy and Hector the Hygienist will be returning this year, and we are also carrying forward audio messages that were developed in Arabic, Polish and Portuguese. We will continue our ongoing partnerships with regional YMCAs, and the Office of Early Childhood (OEC).
These strategies all incorporate messages to children, parents / caregivers of the Importance good oral health home hygiene, and the key benefits of children going to the dentist – preferably the same dentist over time.
We Need Your Help – Getting the Message Out
Whether it is a note or section in your newsletters or having a poster visible where HUSKY Health members may be, sharing our Social Media posts, or even creating your own, we hope you can help spread the word. Let’s get children and their parents and caregivers EXCITED about oral health!
QR Code and Web Page
The QR Code that will bring parents and children to the web page with the videos is here. The Web page includes 4 videos (2 English, 2 Spanish) on Tips for Brushing Your Teeth and What to Do if You Have a Squiggly Tooth. There are also audio files in Portuguese, Arabic, and Polish. And there is additional educational information and links recommended by our national partners at
ASTDD (The Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors).
Dr. Tooth Fairy Poster
To Download or Print this poster, or a selection of other posters, please visit https://ctdhp.org/resources/
- Our website: ctdhp.org
- Our Member Services Representatives: 855-CT-DENTAL (855-283-3682)
Monday through Friday: 8am – 5pm