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Join ADA and PDA in participating in National Children’s Dental Health Month (NCDHM), an oral health campaign aimed to raise awareness about the importance of good oral health. For the past 60 years, NCDHM has played an important role in the education of America’s youth. Celebrated each February, NCDHM messages and materials have reached millions of children and parents in communities across the country.

As you know, when children develop healthy habits at an early age, it can lead to a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums. NCDHM initiatives encourage children to see a dentist for regular check-ups, to maintain a healthy and balanced diet, to wear mouth guards when engaging in high-contact sports and to brush and floss regularly.

This year's NCDHM campaign, with the slogan "Get a Gold Medal Smile," features the McGrinn Twins, Flossy and Buck, along with their best friends and next-door neighbors Den and Gen Smiley.

PDA's 2009 campaign received the first-place award in the ADA 2009 Samuel D. Harris National Children's Dental Health Month State Program Award. Also, the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) - Harrisburg Chapter honored PDA's NCDHM program with a gold 2010 Capital Award in the category of community relations campaigns.

Each year, PDA provides lesson plans and activities to third-grade teachers. This year, all of the materials are available online only.

In addition, PDA sponsors a poster contest for third-grade students, which annually awards cash prizes to the students who design the top three posters.

New for 2013! 
There will no longer be district and local chairs, instead we are creating an NCDHM advisory group on PDA’s Social Network which is open to all interested members. The new advisory group will play an integral role in the statewide poster contest and is responsible for judging the poster contest entries. If you would like to join this group or want to recommend a colleague, please fill out this form by December 31, 2012.

Questions about NCDHM? Contact PDA at (717) 234-5941.