In honor of Children’s Dental Health Month in February, the North Carolina Dental Society (NCDS) announced Monday it will provide oral health curriculum to teachers, students and parents to help increase the awareness and importance of oral health in children. The resources include videos, worksheets and lesson plans for grades K-2, 3-5, and 6-8. The materials follow national and state healthy living standards and will be provided in both English and Spanish.

“Good oral health habits that begin in childhood, carry through adulthood. Oral health is important to overall health and we are proud to help children learn how to take care of their teeth and practice healthy habits to prevent dental problems as they get older,” says Dr. Frank Courts, chairman, NCDS Council on Prevention and Oral Health.

The curriculum was developed by McMillen Health in collaboration with the NC Dental Society and NC Dental Society Foundation and funded by the Delta Dental Foundation of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and North Carolina (DDF). The resources are available on the NC Dental Society website as well as provided to the NC Department of Public Instruction.

“Oral health education needs to happen in the classroom — not just the dentist’s office,” said Holli Seabury, EdD, executive director of the DDF. “Our goal is to ensure children, caregivers and educators have the tools they need to make the best possible decisions about their oral health.”

The North Carolina Dental Society was founded in 1856 and remains one of the oldest dental societies in the country. Representing 3,900 member dentists across the state, its mission is to help all members succeed. The NC Dental Society is a part of the American Dental Association, the nation’s largest dental association, representing 163,000 member dentists and the leading source of oral health information. For more information, visit ncdental.org.