America’s ToothFairy Smile Drive Benefits Local At-Risk Children

PINEHURST – Designed to raise awareness and collect oral care products for at-risk children and teens, the America’s ToothFairy Smile Drive is being held in February during National Children’s Dental Health Month. Donated toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss and rinse will benefit FirstHealth Dental Care, an America’s ToothFairy Affiliate non-profit children’s oral health program.

With participation from 3,900 Walmart locations, the America’s ToothFairy Smile Drive will promote oral health for families across the nation.  Local community members can visit their local Walmart to drop off donated oral care products for local at-risk youth in the America’s ToothFairy Smile Drive Box and pick up their free Kid’s Activity Packs including free America’s ToothFairy Kids Club membership cards, ToothFairy 101 educational activities for children, and coupons from Walmart, Crest and Oral-B.

Walmart locations in the FirstHealth service area that are participating include the Raeford Walmart, located at 4545 Fayetteville Road in Raeford, and the Biscoe Walmart Supercenter, located at 201 Montgomery Crossing in Biscoe.

Patrons donating to the America’s ToothFairy Smile Drive can share their experience by snapping a selfie and using the hashtag #SmileDrive2014 on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

“We are so grateful that Walmart, an America’s ToothFairy Proud Underwriter, is helping to ensure children across the nation benefit from our National Children’s Dental Health Month campaign,” said Fern Ingber, NCOHF president and CEO. “Their participation in the America’s ToothFairy Smile Drive, combined with support from Kid’s Crest and Oral-B Stages products at Walmart and engagement from FirstHealth Dental Care, will help promote healthy smiles for all children while helping to give at-risk youths the tools they need to prevent the pain and embarrassment associated with tooth decay.”

National Children’s Oral Health Foundation, known as America’s ToothFairy, was formed in 2006 as an aggressive response to eliminate pediatric dental disease by providing community programs with comprehensive resources to deliver vital educational, preventive and treatment services to children most in need. Supporting the delivery of oral health education and care beginning at the prenatal level, America’s ToothFairy engages caring dental professionals and the general public in programs designed to promote children’s oral health. 

Through the generosity of dedicated underwriters including Walmart and support from Kid’s Crest and Oral-B Stages products at Walmart, America’s ToothFairy has reached millions of children through its non-profit clinical network, Kids Club and volunteer professional and student community service programs. 

Since 1998, FirstHealth Dental Care has provided dental care to more than 25,000 underserved children in Moore, Montgomery and Hoke counties. The program’s mission is to provide comprehensive dental care to low-income children up to age 18.

The Dental Care centers average more than 1,000 visits a month across the three centers and accept about 100 new patients per month. About 70 percent of the children seen during the program’s first year of operation had either never seen a dentist at all or had not been to the dentist in more than a year.

For more information on FirstHealth Dental Care, visit www.firsthealth.org or call (910) 692-5111.

America’s ToothFairy (NCOHF) is dedicated to raising awareness of the number one chronic childhood illness – pediatric dental disease – facilitating the delivery of comprehensive oral health services and eliminating this preventable disease from future generations. With a growing affiliate network of non-profit community programs, the America’s ToothFairy Kids Club and professional and student service programs, America’s ToothFairy is building a powerful, united effort to eliminate tooth decay and protect the smiles of the country’s most vulnerable children.

Also extending services in Canada as Canada’s ToothFairy, NCOHF is reaching children throughout North America. 

For more information, please visit www.AmericasToothFairy.org.