For Educators and Professionals
Smile Smarts Dental Health Curriculum
Smile Smarts is a dental health curriculum for students in preschool through eighth grade, which offers flexible lesson plans, hands-on classroom demonstrations, and activity sheets. These resources are designed to help oral health professionals and teachers educate students about good oral hygiene habits and the importance of oral health.
Download the Lesson Plans
PreK-1st Grade: Shining Smiles!
2nd-3rd Grade: A Lifetime of Healthy Smiles!
4th-6th Grade: Teeth to Treasure!
7th-8th Grade: Watch your Mouth!
Classroom Dental Health Demonstrations For All Grades
Teach students how to better protect their teeth with these easy and fun classroom demonstrations.
Building Egg-celent, Healthy Teeth: This demonstration shows what sugary and acidic drinks can do to your teeth, as well as the protective abilities fo the fluoride found in your toothpaste and mouth rinse.
Peanut Butter Fingers: This flossing demonstration shows how much can be left behind by brushing alone.
An Apple a D(ec)ay: This demonstration shows what can happen to teeth when a cavity develops and allows bacteria inside.
Fluoride Guides for Health Professionals
Fluoride Safety: A Guide for Health Professionals: A concise explanation of the regulations and safety of fluoride additives. Common concerns, including daily intake and infant formula.
Fluorosis Facts: A quick, thorough understanding of dental fluorosis. Includes photos, follow-up resources, and suggestions for counseling on prevention.
Tobacco Cessation Resources
Dental professionals play a key role in reducing tobacco use among their patients through various avenues and can support local and state policies aimed at reducing the burden of tobacco-related illness in California. Listed below are some resources and training materials to help dental professionals contribute to tobacco cessation efforts in a clinical practice.
- Kick it California (formerly California Smokers' Helpline):
Kick it California offers free, evidence-based services, including telephone counseling, self-help materials, and online support. Dental professionals can refer patients to the helpline for additional assistance (1-800-300-8086).
- California Dental Association (CDA):
The CDA may provide resources, toolkits, or guidelines for dental professionals on tobacco cessation. Check their website or contact them directly for relevant materials.
- California Department of Public Health (CDPH):
The CDPH may offer resources and materials related to tobacco cessation and public health initiatives. Check their website for information or contact them for guidance.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Smoking and Tobacco Use:
The CDC offers various resources and guidelines on tobacco cessation. Dental professionals can find toolkits, training materials, and patient resources on the CDC's website.
- American Dental Association (ADA):
The ADA may provide resources and continuing education opportunities related to tobacco cessation. Dental professionals can explore their website for relevant materials.
Tobacco Cessation Toolkit for Dental Providers
Dental teams can play a critical role in helping their patients live tobacco free. The Tobacco Cessation Toolkit for California Dental Providers toolkit is designed to assist dental providers with integrating brief tobacco cessation interventions into their routine dental care workflows. The toolkit provides practical tools and evidence-based resources to help dental providers and their tobacco-using patients.
This toolkit was created by the UCSF California Technical Assistance Center (COHTAC) in partnership with San Joaquin County Public Health Services Smoking & Tobacco Outreach and Prevention Program (STOPP) and Local Oral Health Program, and the California Department of Public Health, Office of Oral Health.
Included in this toolkit, you will find information about:
- Trends in tobacco products and use in California
- Dental professionals’ role in tobacco cessation and why it matters
- Tobacco dependence and the benefits of quitting
- Brief interventions for dental settings
- The role of the entire dental team in tobacco cessation
- FDA-approved medications for tobacco cessation
- Resources available for providers and patients
Tobacco Cessation Toolkit for Dental Providers
Free Continuing Dental Education Webinar: Tobacco Cessation for California Dental Provider
This course is designed to complement the toolkit discussed above. This Free, one-hour on-demand continuing education webinar provides participants with an overview of the oral and systemic health implications of new and emerging tobacco products, and evidence-based strategies for implementing brief tobacco cessation interventions in practice, including key points for patient education and communication. All dental providers in California, including dental hygienists, dental assistants, and dentists, are eligible to receive 1.0 CDE credit upon completion.
Tobacco Cessation Toolkit for Dental Providers Webinar