Charlotte, NC, June 11, 2024 -- America's ToothFairy, Sun Life and DentaQuest are inviting everyone to shine a light on oral health disparity and the importance of healthy smiles during Oral Health Month in June. More than 57 million people in the U.S., including millions of kids, have difficulty accessing dental care. People living in rural or remote areas, individuals with special healthcare needs, indigenous communities, people of color and migrant populations often face barriers to dental care. This can lead to higher rates of dental disease and poorer health overall.

"Chances are, the first thing you notice about someone is their smile, however, not everyone has a smile they're proud to share. Together, we can build awareness of dental health inequities, the effect it has on children as they grow, and actions people can take to help," said Jill Malmgren, executive director of America's ToothFairy, a nonprofit organization that provides resources to increase access to dental care and oral health education programs.

"Kids can get lax with their dental hygiene routine during the summer," Malmgren added. "Our Share Your Smile campaign aims to help kids stay on track with their dental hygiene habits and encourages teens to consider careers in dentistry to support marginalized communities where children often grow up with higher rates of poor oral health."

"DentaQuest is committed to helping everyone access the dental care they need to be healthy," said Steve Pollock, president of DentaQuest, part of Sun Life U.S. "We are proud to partner with America's ToothFairy once again to raise awareness about the importance of oral health – especially in children – and to help bring about meaningful change in communities that need it most."

The Share Your Smile campaign includes:

• free, downloadable educational resources developed for students and parents;
• a free social media kit for oral health advocates;
• an educational website, ShareYourSmileCampaign.com; and
• materials to help kids track their oral health habits over the summer.

In addition to information about oral health hygiene, the campaign also offers information about:

• the many ways that smiling impacts quality of life.
• why millions of children don't have access to dental care;
• how a child's unhealthy smile impacts them into adulthood;
• information about communities with higher rates of tooth decay due to unequal access to dental services and oral health education; and
• materials that provide more information about dental careers.

The Sun Life U.S. dental business, including DentaQuest, is dedicated to improving the oral health of all through purpose-driven, outcomes-based solutions that increase access to health benefits for underserved communities. It is the second-largest dental benefits provider in the U.S. by membership, managing dental and vision benefits for approximately 36 million Americans.

To learn more about the campaign and to access the free educational resources, visit www.ShareYourSmileCampaign.org.

About Sun Life

Sun Life U.S. is one of the largest providers of employee and government benefits, helping more than 50 million Americans access the healthcare and coverage they need. Through employers, industry partners and government programs, Sun Life U.S. offers a portfolio of benefits and services, including dental, vision, disability, absence management, life, supplemental health, medical stop-loss insurance, and healthcare navigation. Sun Life employs more than 8,500 people in the U.S., including associates in our partner dental practices and affiliated companies in asset management. Group insurance policies are issued by Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada (Wellesley Hills, Mass.), except in New York, where policies are issued by Sun Life and Health Insurance Company (U.S.) (Lansing, Mich.). For more information visit our website and newsroom.

About DentaQuest

The Sun Life U.S. dental business, including DentaQuest, is dedicated to improving the oral health of all through purpose-driven, outcomes-based solutions. We make dental benefits better for everyone through Preventistry – an inclusive approach centered on preventive, quality care, expanded access and solutions built on valued relationships across the health care ecosystem. We manage dental and vision benefits for approximately 36 million Americans. For 30 years, we have delivered cost-effective benefit plans and services for employer groups, individuals, health plans, and government-sponsored dental programs. We are the largest by membership and an experienced Medicaid and CHIP dental benefits administrator in the U.S. We also support direct patient care through an expanding network of 80 dental practices in underserved communities across the United States. Learn more about the Sun Life U.S. dental business at www.Sunlife.com/dental and www.DentaQuest.com.

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 2006, America's ToothFairy has reached 14.8 million children and caregivers with oral health services and distributed millions 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.