Every February, National Children’s Dental Health Month (NCDHM) brings together healthcare professionals, educators, and families to promote the importance of oral health for children. This annual observance encourages caregivers, teachers, and communities to help children develop lifelong healthy oral habits.
Continuing the theme from 2025, the 2026 NCDHM resources emphasize that children’s dental health should be a year-round priority. These resources, available through the American Dental Association (ADA), focus on the value of good oral hygiene not only in February but every day.
The ADA offers free downloadable resources, including posters and flyers, that stress the significance of brushing teeth. Available in two child-friendly designs and two sizes (8.5″x11″ and 11″x17″), these posters also come with matching 8.5″x11″ coloring sheets. All materials provide brushing instructions and are available in both English and Spanish on ADA.org/NCDHM.
In addition, the ADA’s 2026 Brushing Calendar can be downloaded at no cost. This 12-month calendar helps children track their daily brushing and flossing routines while promoting healthy behaviors such as brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. Each month’s image can be colored by kids, making it both a useful and creative tool.
For program coordinators, dental societies, teachers, and parents, the ADA’s NCDHM Program Planning Guide offers further resources. It includes tips for promoting oral health, easy activities, a sample NCDHM proclamation, and more.
“Healthy habits grow with children. Caregivers should teach kids to brush twice a day with a rice grain-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste until age three, then a pea-sized amount after that. It’s also important to help children clean between their teeth daily and to eat a balanced diet low in added sugars,” said ADA President Rich Rosato, D.M.D. “Visiting the dentist regularly is key. These practices are foundational to both oral and overall health.”
The ADA updates and releases NCDHM materials on a two-year cycle, with new resources planned for 2027.
National Children’s Dental Health Month dates back to February 1941, beginning with a one-day event in Cleveland and a one-week celebration in Akron, Ohio. Over the years, the event expanded into a nationwide observance. The ADA held the first national Children’s Dental Health Day on February 8, 1949, which eventually grew into a week-long celebration in 1955. In 1981, the observance was extended to become the month-long event we know today.