Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign Notes: Bright Smiles, Brighter Futures

National Children’s Dental Health Month (NCDHM) is coming to a close, but for children nationwide, the importance of dental health goes beyond having a beautiful smile and lasts throughout the year. Tooth decay is the most common preventable chronic disease among children in the United States. If left untreated, it can negatively affect a child’s physical and social development, as well as his or her school performance.

According to the American Dental Association, the number one reason for not going to the dentist is the high cost of dental care for uninsured patients.

The Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign wants to remind families that with Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage, children and teens up to age 19 can receive the necessary dental care, including regular check-ups, x-rays, fluoride treatments, dental sealants, and fillings, to keep them healthy and smiling. The Campaign offers a variety of resources to help spread the word about good oral health and to get kids and their families enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP:

• Twitter and Facebook graphics are available in English and Spanish to share on social media.
• Organizations can download a tip sheet with advice on sharing dental health education materials.
• Parents and caregivers can be directed to the “Find a Dentist” tool on our website to locate a dentist in their area that accepts Medicaid and CHIP.
• In addition to outreach for children of all ages and backgrounds, organizations can find materials specifically for expectant mothers, toddlers, and children with special needs on our Oral Health Initiative page.

Additionally, the Campaign’s Twitter handle, @IKNGov, has been tweeting out messages about dental health coverage throughout February and we encourage you to retweet to get the word out. Together, we can ensure children and teens have access to the dental care they need for greater self-confidence, overall good health, and to stay focused in school.

Additional Resources
Looking for additional ways to reach eligible, uninsured children and teens? The Outreach Tool Library on InsureKidsNow.gov includes toolkits for school-based outreach, suggested social media copy and graphics, customizable tools, and more. Many materials are also available in a variety of languages, including Spanish, Arabic, Burmese, Chinese, Farsi, Haitian Creole, Hmong, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Somali, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.

Stay Connected with the Campaign 

• Share our Campaign materials. We have an ever-growing Outreach Tool Library featuring a variety of resources to use in your outreach and enrollment efforts, available in multiple languages and formats.
• Contact us. To get more involved with the Campaign, contact us via email at ConnectingKids@cms.hhs.gov.
• Follow the Campaign on Twitter. Remember to re-tweet or share our messages from @IKNGov with your social network and be sure to use our #Enroll365 and #KidsEnroll hashtags in your posts.