For 25 years, the Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures® (BSBF) global oral health programme has reached children in underserved communities with free dental screenings, oral health education and toothpaste and toothbrushes. Colgate is marking this special milestone by kicking off ‘25 Days of Smiles’, a multifaceted celebration with Hall of Fame professional athlete and television personality Laila Ali. Together, Colgate and Ali will address two common learning barriers for school children: poor oral health and lack of school supplies.
“As a mother of two, nothing makes me happier than to see my children smile. Because a child’s bright smile can reflect so much – from their developing personalities and self-esteem, to the promise of a healthy, successful school year,” said Ms. Ali. “I am excited to partner with Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures to encourage families to establish healthy habits at home – like brushing for two minutes, twice a day and getting regular dental check-ups and at school by giving them the tools they need to learn and succeed.”
Tooth decay, while highly preventable, remains the most common chronic childhood disease, affecting millions of children around the world who lack access to basic dental care. Studies have demonstrated a connection between poor dental health and low grade point averages and, in some cases, children with poor oral health are nearly three times more likely to miss school than their peers due to dental pain. The impact is particularly devastating for US children from low-income, minority and rural communities who suffer disproportionately from dental health issues.
‘25 Days of Smiles’
As part of ‘25 Days of Smiles’, Colgate has donated 500,000 oral care products to the Kids In Need Foundation (KINF), a 501(3)(c) charitable organisation that prepares children to learn and succeed by providing free school supplies to students mostly in need. In addition, BSBF will host oral health community celebration events in Miami, Houston and Baltimore.
Throughout the ‘25 Days of Smiles’, there are opportunities for everyone to play an important role in promoting children’s oral health. Join Colgate in promoting oral health and giving students the tools they need to succeed this school year, by:
- Tweeting a #TBT school picture with the hashtag #SmileforPictureDay: Starting September 22, follow @ColgateBSBF on Twitter and share your #TBT school picture using #SmileforPictureDay to help drive awareness to the importance of children’s oral health during a time when smiles are organically top of mind. For every photo shared between September 22 and October 31, Colgate will donate $1 to KINF.
- Purchasing Colgate Kids products at Walgreens: For every Colgate® Kids oral care product purchased at a participating Walgreens between August 28 and October 1, Colgate will donate $1 to the Kids In Need Foundation.
Every year in the US, Colgate reaches nearly nine out of every ten kindergarten students and 3.5 million children in all 50 states with BSBF’s award-winning oral health curriculum. In addition, Colgate operates a fleet of BSBF mobile dental vans that visit 1,000 cities a year, providing oral health education, free dental screenings and treatment referrals to millions of children.
“Educating children about proper oral hygiene habits and helping underserved communities is at the heart of the Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures programme,” said Marsha Butler DMD, Vice President of Global Oral Health for Colgate and global leader of Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures. “Over the past 25 years, BSBF has grown from reaching 25,000 children in the US to more than 850 million in 80 countries. We are proud to celebrate this milestone with Laila Ali as we work together to give all children the ‘Power of a Bright Smile’.”
