According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, about half of all American children do not receive regular dental care due to social, economic, and geographic obstacles. Since 2006 America’s ToothFairy has partnered with philanthropic corporate underwriters including 3M Oral Care to provide resources and support for safety-net dental clinics and organizations that serve disadvantaged children.

In addition to supporting the operational costs of the nonprofit foundation, 3M Oral Care also serves as the Title Sponsor of the National Fluoride Varnish Initiative by providing donated products including 3M Vanish 5% Sodium Fluoride Varnish to help prevent tooth decay in children living in communities with limited access to dental care. Last year alone, 3M’s contributions helped nearly 145,000 kids receive fluoride treatments through the members of the Dental Resource Program of America’s ToothFairy.

“Given the number of children that do not receive regular dental care, preventive initiatives that include fluoride varnish applications are essential to help prevent rampant decay,” said Jill Malmgren, Executive Director of America’s ToothFairy. “As we look back at our 15 years of saving smiles, we are especially grateful for 3M’s support of our National Fluoride Varnish Initiative and their help to sustain our organization since our founding. They’ve played a critical role in helping our member clinics provide dental services for more than eight million kids across the United States.”

“At 3M we are committed to improving the quality of life for families living in underserved communities,” said Eric Wenzel, Director of 3M Oral Care in the United States and Canada. “Our partnership with America’s ToothFairy is an important part of that commitment. We are proud to provide leadership within the organization and funding for their mission, but most of all we’re proud of the millions of young smiles we’ve protected together.”

Additional donated products included Paradigm DeepCure Curing Lights and Elipar DeepCure Curing Lights,restorative products, PPE, crowns, adhesives, and cements. The items were distributed to safety-net, nonprofit dental clinics in 18 states.

About America’s ToothFairy: National Children’s Oral Health Foundation

As a resource provider, America’s ToothFairy increases access to oral health care by supporting nonprofit clinics and community partners delivering education, prevention and treatment services for underserved children. Since its inception in 2006, America’s ToothFairy has distributed more than $23 million in donated products, educational materials and financial grants to improve oral health outcomes for children and youth in need.

For more information, visit AmericasToothFairy.org.

*Original article online at https://www.dentistrytoday.com/americas-toothfairy-and-3m-oral-care-celebrate-15-years-of-partnership-and-success-of-national-fluoride-varnish-initiative/