volunteers in action
It's alarming how many kids in the U.S. don’t own a toothbrush or must share one with family members.
Kids need to practice good dental hygiene to protect their smiles from dental disease. How can they when they don’t have the “magic wand” that eradicates tooth decay—a toothbrush of their own?
This year, 750 volunteers, including Emily Heuberger (below) of Denver, Colorado, collected toothbrushes and other dental hygiene products for low-income families in their own communities.
Emily and 14 of her colleagues collected 199 dental hygiene products and donated them to A Precious Child, an organization that assists children and families facing difficult life challenges such as abuse and neglect, crisis situations, and poverty.
We also partnered with Crest and Oral-B to develop new tools to equip Smile Drive volunteers to have the greatest impact!
We are excited to share these highlights from 2022 with you!
smile drive HIGHLIGHTS
In 2022 more than 90,000 dental hygiene products were distributed through Smile Drive!
Kim Capers (above) of Allentown, PA handed out 1,000 oral care products at her YWCA’s Healthy Kids Day.
She told us, “We met children who are 4 or 5 years old with multiple cavities and caps already on their teeth. We definitely must be proactive when it comes to dental care in rural and low-income areas!”
Summary Statement
Our 2023 Smile Drive is already in full swing! Discover how easy it is to help kids near you practice the dental hygiene habits necessary to grow up with a healthy smile at SmileDrive.org or sign up below to get started on your Smile Drive.