Already a Healthy Smile Hero?

A pediatric dentist high-fiving a patient
Two women dressed in capes and masks
A pediatric dentist and a patient in a dentist's office

Big Love
for Little Teeth

With your support, we are helping to ensure all little teeth get the care they need and deserve.

$10,515,360

Donated Dollars

Want to learn more?
See Our Impact

Oral health directly affects overall health

Children do not have equal access to the dental care they need

Half of the children in elementary school have cavities. Cavities in young kids can harm their health, development, and quality of life – both in the short-term and over time. 

A blue illustration of a single tooth with a cavity.

51 percent

of children between the ages of 6 and 11 have cavities.*

A blue illustration of a single tooth with a lightning bolt.

1 in 10 children

with cavities suffers from pain, making it hard to chew and eat healthy foods.*

A blue illustration of a wall clock.

51 million

hours of school are lost each year in the U.S. because of poor oral health.* 

Learn More About Us

*Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Three young kids of varying heights stand with arms around each other.
A young girl sits in an exam chair smiling while a dentist smiles behind her.

OUR IMPACT ON LITTLE TEETH

How we make a difference

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Foundation is dedicated to making dental care accessible to all children by providing community dental grants to support dentist-led clinics who give routine cleanings, advanced treatments, and ongoing care to kids in need.

Discover Our Impact
Find Help for Your Child
Icon of a hand holding a heart

Get Involved

See what we’re all about! Tune in to the latest news to stay up to date on everything we’re doing.

Two smiling young children stand outdoors with a tooth mascot.

Blog

Read more about supporting all children in their need for proper dental care.

Read the Blog

A provider speaks with a patient’s mother during an exam.

Events

Join us for any upcoming events! Missed an event? Don’t worry! We have them all here for you.

See All Events

Promote & Provide

With dental referral kits from Tess Oral Health, we’ve raised over $45,000 in the past 10 years! Connect with new potential patients while supporting the AAPD Foundation & preventive care for children

Get Your Referral Kits
Tess Oral Health logo
A headshot of our winner, Dr. Bernardo DDS

Meet this year’s winner!

Dr. Beverly A. Largent Access to Care Innovator Award

This award recognizes excellence in providing dental care to children, especially vulnerable populations. This year’s winner is Dr. Maria Rita Z. Bernardo of FamilyCare Health Centers in West Virginia. Her tireless dedication to the dental health of children and families of Appalachia is inspiring. We are proud to honor Dr. Bernardo!

Learn More
An illustration of our Healthy Smile Hero, wearing a pink cape, purple mask and skirt, and holding a dental floss lasso.

Become a healthy smile hero!

With your help, we can give more children the dental care they need—and the healthy smile they deserve.

Stories & Testimonials

Colorful illustration of family and dentist smiling and giving a thumbs up.

Maria’s Story

Colorful illustration of family and dentist smiling and giving a thumbs up.

Mary Anne’s Story

Colorful illustration of family and dentist smiling and giving a thumbs up.

A Mother’s Story

Colorful illustration of family and dentist smiling and giving a thumbs up.

Dr. Poelman’s Testimonial

A young boy gets a dental exam from a female provider.

Dr. Day’s Testimonial

Colorful illustration of family and dentist smiling and giving a thumbs up.

Ms. Hoffman’s Testimonial