If you haven’t, or even if you have, now’s your chance. The National Smile Month campaign, which kicks off on 20 May and runs until 20 June, is a brilliant way to engage with members of the general public in the hope you will better their oral health.

Taking care of teeth is a job for life, not just for a campaign. Educating patients on how important their oral health is the primary goal of the campaign. Your role is to help disseminate that information. The campaign will as ever deliver the Foundation’s three key messages as a pathway to good oral health, which are:

         Brush your teeth for two minutes twice a day using a fluoride toothpaste

         Cut down on how often you have sugary foods and drinks

         Visit the dentist regularly – as often as they recommend

Contact the Foundation to get your very own promotional material by contacting us on 01788 546 365.

Make it Interesting

Oral health isn’t a particularly sexy topic to discuss. Many patients see looking after their mouths as a chore, not a necessity. For this reason, the more original, engaging and eye-catching you can make the subject, even outside of the campaign, will go a long way to defining how much interest you can create.

Make it Informative

The more information you can give about oral health, the more likely it is people will ask questions and engage with you. If it’s in the dental practice then take a little time to chat about oral health. If it’s in the hospital or pharmacy, you’re welcome to point people towards the website where they can find a whole raft of information specifically for public consumption.

Make it Simple

Remember, you know a lot more about oral health than your patient. Ensure the information you’re giving them is easy to understand and put into practice. After all, oral health isn’t on the top of many people’s to-do lists, as research shows 26 per cent of adults said the type of dental treatment they opted for was influenced by cost, while 19 per cent said they had delayed having treatment for financial reasons. It’s National Smile Month, so we want people smiling, not frowning!

Make it a Priority

Not enough people understand why their oral health is important. It is our job to make sure they do. The Foundation has a wealth of motivators, educators and patient-centred information in the shop that will drive interest in oral health to new levels. National Smile Month is a great opportunity to major on this.