PROGRAMS
1 Million Brushes
Our mission: give away 1 million free toothbrushes to kids-in-need. Together, we will create a Cavity Free ND.
2 in 3 rural North Dakota kindergarteners have tooth decay.
Tooth decay is the #1 preventable chronic childhood disease. Parents should supervise brushing until at least age 8.
1 MILLION BRUSHES
Every child deserves the tools to care for their smile.
Since 2017, the North Dakota Dental Foundation has distributed nearly 250,000 toothbrushes and thousands of dental kits to save the smiles of children-in-need.
Together we can ensure an entire generation of North Dakota children have oral health supplies to maintain a healthy smile. Together we will create a Cavity Free ND by providing 1 million toothbrushes to kids-in-need. Please consider joining the cause!
250,000+
Toothbrushes distributed since 2017
On the way to 1 million
1M
Toothbrush goal
2 in 3
Rural ND kindergarteners with decay
Our Impact
Moments from the program.
Volunteers packing kits and delivering dental supplies to kids across North Dakota.
IMPACT
The difference a toothbrush makes
Hear from the partners who help us get oral health supplies into the hands of children across North Dakota.
Head Start requirements for its programs regarding dental health and good oral health is a huge part of being school-ready! That’s why Head Start prioritizes healthy smiles from day one. Head Start programs ensure that: Children enrolled in Head Start are required to receive an oral dental exam within 90 days of enrollment. Children practice healthy habits by brushing their teeth daily in the classroom using fluoride toothpaste. Our program works alongside families to help track dental schedules and ensure kids get follow-up care if tooth decay is found. SENDCAA Head Start serves 262 children and their families in Cass, Ransom, and Richland counties. We have partnerships with Family Health Care and North Dakota State College of Science for our dental care. We appreciate the donation of toothbrushes and toothpaste from the North Dakota Dental Foundation for our classrooms and children!
NEED NAME
SENDCAA Head Start
As the socioeconomic makeup of families at our school has continued to shift so too have the concerns of our parent-teacher organization. One of the most pressing concerns brought to our attention by the school's health teacher was the fact that a number of students didn't own toothbrushes or know how to use one. She proposed addressing this by providing toothbrushes to every student during a dental health unit tailored to each age group. The North Dakota Dental Foundation responded almost immediately, delivering 600 toothbrushes and toothpaste just days after our request. Our health teacher was able to begin integrating the supplies into her lessons right away, starting with the children who needed them most. Their generosity truly saved the day and eased the minds of staff who carry their students' struggles home with them at night. NDDF's donation gave us hope and reaffirmed that resources do exist to meet local needs quickly. As a parent and PTO board member, it is heartbreaking to realize that so many children in our own community—and in neighborhoods where you might least expect it—are going without the basics. It brought both relief and educational enrichment to our school community. I cannot say enough kind things about the impact this gift had on our kids, families, and staff. We so appreciate the North Dakota Dental Foundation and their generosity! I hope you'll join me in supporting NDDF!
Samantha
Centennial Elementary School (Fargo) Parent
The Emergency Food Pantry works to provide food to families in need; our team learns about other resources that would be helpful for families. This includes basics such as toilet paper and soap, as well as providing oral health items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, and dental floss. We regularly hear from parents who have been forced to manage dental pain rather than have dental procedures because they can't afford the care. Or about families who forego replacing their toothbrushes to ensure they can cover more basic needs and pay their monthly bills. They share stories about never learning to brush their teeth when they were young and have never actually been to a dentist. We know that limited access to dental hygiene products often leads to more significant health issues down the road, and that's why we're so grateful for the North Dakota Dental Foundation. Over the years, NDDF has been an essential partner for the Emergency Food Pantry - donating oral hygiene products that we can distribute through the pantry as part of our food baskets. We're grateful to be part of a collaborative system that supports current needs and positively impacts long-term health outcomes, and we thank the North Dakota Dental Foundation for their support and improving lives in our communities. I hope you'll join me in supporting NDDF!
Stacie Loegering
Executive Director Emergency Food Pantry
WHERE THE BRUSHES GO
Schools & organizations we've supplied
Thanks to our donors and partners, dental kits and toothbrushes reach children through these schools and community organizations across North Dakota.
Elementary Schools
Williston, Wahpeton, Elgin, Dickinson, Northern Cass & Centennial
Emergency Food Pantry
Bridging the Dental Gap
Fargo ShareHouse
Life Care Unites Foundation
New Life Center Fargo
SENDCAA Head Start
Quentin Burdick Job Corps Center
NDSU Goods for the Herd
The Salvation Army
Churches United
Great Plains Food Bank
TAKE ACTION
Join the cause for a Cavity Free ND
There are two great ways to help put a toothbrush in the hands of every North Dakota child in need.
Donate
Your gift helps supply schools, childcare programs, and many organizations with oral health supplies so more children can protect their smiles.
Partner
We're always looking for partners — global suppliers reducing costs, local dental businesses running Smile Drives to collect supplies, and nonprofits distributing kits across North Dakota.
OUR PARTNERS
