Nominations for America's ToothFairy's 2026 Outstanding Dental Hygienist Awards close on September 30. The awards recognize hygienists who bring preventive care to schools, rural communities and families with limited access to services.
My Smile Matters starts October 1 and runs through Dental Hygiene Month. Its work extends beyond dental offices. Dental professionals, educators and community groups will use the campaign to share oral health information in schools and other local settings.
The campaign's reported reach is cumulative: since 2022, its educational resources have reached approximately 550,000 children, parents and caregivers across participating community settings.
Since the campaign began in 2022, its free educational resources have reached approximately 550,000 children, parents and caregivers. Schools, public health programmes, libraries, childcare organisations, universities and other community groups have joined dental practices in sharing activities and information about healthy smiles, according to a campaign briefing on My Smile Matters.
The award looks beyond clinical skill.
America's ToothFairy is seeking hygienists whose work improves access, education or oral health outcomes for underserved populations. Past honourees have provided preventive services in schools and rural areas. They have also built mobile and teledental programmes, adapted care for patients with special healthcare needs, organised free-care events, mentored colleagues and advocated for overlooked communities.
A previous honouree, Crystal Spring, RDH, founded Smiles Across Montana, a mobile and teledental nonprofit serving schools, Head Start sites, nursing homes and tribal communities. The organisation says it has served more than 12,000 patients since 2018, illustrating the kind of sustained access work the awards are intended to highlight.
Crystal Spring, RDH, received the award in 2025. She founded Smiles Across Montana, a nonprofit mobile and teledental organisation that provides preventive and diagnostic services to schools, Head Start programmes, nursing homes and tribal communities. The organisation has served more than 12,000 patients since it was founded in 2018.
Amber Lovatos, RDH, BSDH, was a 2022 honouree. Her work has included public health advocacy, education, community outreach and mentorship within dentistry.
"For 20 years, we've seen how much one committed dental professional can change the trajectory of a child's oral health," said Jill Malmgren, Executive Director of America's ToothFairy. "The hygienists we want to recognize are the people who see a barrier to care and find a way around it. They use their skills, compassion, and leadership to reach children and families who might otherwise be overlooked."
The campaign also gives dental teams simple ways to involve families. In the Rate Your Candy Contest, young patients assess how their trick-or-treat haul may affect their teeth. Five winners will receive $100.
The activity starts a direct conversation about sugar, acidity, texture and other factors that affect candy's impact on oral health.
Families can use the materials right away.
Printable activities, handouts and social media materials take the campaign into practices, schools, libraries and community settings. The approach matches the prevention-first focus seen in community outreach coverage. Dental teams also get ready-to-use tools for October.
America's ToothFairy is marking its 20th anniversary in 2026. The organisation supports nonprofit clinics and community partners that provide education, prevention and treatment for underserved children. It supplies donated products, educational resources and financial support.
My Smile Matters links recognition with hands-on outreach. Professionals have a nomination deadline. Children get a way to talk about candy and their teeth. Non-clinical groups receive materials they can use to teach oral health.
That makes the campaign practical.
