Alabama officials are asking kids to show off their best grins through the “Share Your Smile with Alabama” photo contest.
The campaign, now in its eighth year, is put on by the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) with entries accepted through Nov. 8.
Parents and guardians across the state are asked to help showcase their child’s smile for a chance to win prizes. The contest is limited to third grade students in public or private schools in Alabama and to children ages eight to ten years old taking part in home school.
The contest was created to bring attention to the importance of good oral health during National Children’s Dental Health Month in February.
The ADPH Oral Health Office designates the month to endorse the benefits of preventive dental visits for children, encourage community water fluoridation and promote the FDA-approved HPV vaccine for children beginning at nine years of age.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HPV vaccines, or human papillomavirus vaccines, are vaccines that help prevent infection by certain types of human papillomavirus that can cause cancers and precancers. The CDC says children ages eleven to twelve years should get two doses of HPV vaccine, given six to 12 months apart. HPV vaccines can be given starting at age nine.
Health experts say a foundation of oral health is important to young people because it can affect other parts of the body during aging like the heart.
Oral health can also influence dementia and diabetes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports healthy habits can help prevent pain and infections from tooth and gum disease. With diabetes, taking care of teeth is even more important, says the CDC. That's because high blood sugar can weaken white blood cells. These are the body's main way to fight infections that can occur in the mouth.
The entry period for the “Share Your Smile with Alabama” photo contest runs through Nov. 8. There is no entry fee.
Voting will take place from Nov. 11 through Nov. 22.
A girl and a boy will be selected from photo submissions as the winners. The pair will be highlighted in ADPH marketing campaigns to promote children’s oral health and will be featured in a statewide news conference on January 7, 2025.
Submission forms can be found here. For more information regarding the contest, refer to the official rules document.
