FARGO, N.D. (ND Dental Foundation) – By the end of the day on Thursday, April 27, every North Dakota student in Kindergarten through 12th grade will go home with a toothbrush in hand, a basic necessity that many kids would not otherwise have access to.

This effort of the North Dakota Dental Foundation will provide a total of 134,560 toothbrushes. This marks a significant milestone in their mission to provide 1 million toothbrushes to kids in need by 2030, more than doubling their previous count.

Tooth decay is the #1 chronic disease among children. When untreated, it can lead to further problems such as difficulties with eating, speaking, playing, and even learning. But this disease is entirely preventable.

The 1 Million Brushes program, an initiative of the North Dakota Dental Foundation, is providing kids with the necessary materials to develop healthy brushing habits. Since its start in 2017, more than 230,000 toothbrushes and thousands of dental kits have saved the smiles of children in need. This recent distribution is providing an entire generation of North Dakota children with the necessary oral health supplies to positively impact their overall health.

The North Dakota Dental Foundation exists to promote oral health for all. The Foundation seeks to solve oral health problems with compassion and concern for human needs to prevent pain and suffering, particularly for patients that face barriers to care. We do this by focusing on making improvements to access to care, education, and workforce.