World Oral Health Day (WOHD) celebrated on 20th March was a resounding success with the dental community and individuals all over the world uniting to advocate for improved oral health for all.

On the day, FDI President-elect, Assist. Prof. Nikolai Sharkov participated in a very special celebration for WOHD and the Smile Around the World launch, organized by FDI member, the Chinese Stomatological Association (CSA).

Celebrating WOHD and Smile Around the World with schoolchildren

The event took place in a local school in Hanzhong City of Shaanxi Province in China, where Prof. Sharkov gave opening remarks alongside representatives from FDI’s leadership, CSA, and partner 3M Oral Care. The ceremony welcomed national health officers, local government officials, 70 Standing Council Members of CSA, and over 1000 elementary school students from Hanzhong Dongchen Foreign Language School.

After the opening ceremony, various oral health education activities were followed, including oral health lectures, toothbrushing demonstrations and painting, to name a few. FDI commends CSA for implementing the Smile Around the World initiative in China for the fifth time and for coinciding it with WOHD, amplifying the message that a “A HAPPY MOUTH… is a happy body”.

The Smile Around the World initiative promotes the importance of oral health though a series of educational workshops tailored to help children develop positive oral hygiene habits from a young age.  These workshops focus on teaching seven fundamental steps to maintain a healthy mouth and smile. Additionally, children are provided with coloured pencils and an informative booklet, enabling them to draw their own messages about oral health.

This initiative has been carried out with the support of CSA and 3M in six Chinese provinces – Ningxia, Shaanxi, Yunnan, Jiangxi, Fujian and Anhui – in 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2023, reaching over 8300 children.