Crest and Oral-B Team up With Jesse Williams to Discuss the Importance of Oral Care Supplies for Back-to-School 2023

CINCINNATI–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Between taking tests, fitting in, making the team and everything in between, it’s tough being a kid. But it’s even harder for the millions of children without basic oral care supplies. For them, a toothbrush and toothpaste are so much more than just basic necessities: They’re game-changers.

This back-to-school season, Crest and Oral-B are launching their latest #ClosingAmericasSmileGap campaign with a new creative OLV that positions these essential, but often forgotten school supplies as the game-changers they can be for kids in need. You can view the OLV here. In support of the campaign, Crest and Oral-B are partnering with actor, director and activist, Jesse Williams, as well as parent and teacher influencers across social media to showcase their morning and night-time routines to bring awareness to the fact that many kids lack the basic oral care supplies people use every day. Crest and Oral-B are also giving consumers an opportunity to help close the smile gap. For every Crest or Oral-B product purchased from August 1^st to September 30^th, the Brands will donate oral care supplies to a child in need.¹

“As a child growing up in disenfranchised communities and as a former teacher in a low-income school district, I’ve seen first-hand how a lack of resources can significantly impact kids’ confidence and academic performance, which can ultimately lead to missed opportunities,” said Jesse Williams. “The basic necessities we take for granted – like a toothbrush, toothpaste and routine dental checkups – can be game-changers for those without access. That’s why I’m proud to partner with Crest and Oral-B to help end oral health inequity and close America’s smile gap.”

This campaign marks the next step in Crest and Oral-B’s #ClosingAmericasSmileGap initiative, which was launched in 2021 to address the painful reality that many kids in underserved communities don’t have access to the oral care they need. To underscore the critical need for oral healthcare among these communities, Crest and Oral-B have released a “U.S. Kids’ Oral Health Report Card²” that sheds light on the shocking discrepancies in access, affordability and education between low and high-income families in the U.S. Top findings include:

• Nearly 90% (7 in 8) US adults don’t know tooth decay is the number one chronic disease for children.
• Almost 50% of American children have at least one cavity by age 6.
• Nearly half (44%) of children in low-income households brush less than the recommended amount of twice per day, while 73% of high-income children brush twice or more a day.
• Parents in low-income households are less likely to prioritize oral health products in their household budget, ranking cell phone service above oral health products in a list of household necessities.
• High-income households are more likely to be able to take their kids to the dentist during school/working hours.
• One third (33%) of low-income parents say they can’t afford to take their children to the dentist.

“The ‘U.S. Kids’ Oral Health Report Card’ illustrates the state of America’s Smile Gap for kids in underserved communities and motivates us to continue the important work we do at Crest and Oral-B to help close it,” said Carlos Quintero, Vice President, Oral Care, North America at Procter & Gamble. “This year, we’re hosting multiple oral care access events in America’s hardest hit communities where we’ll provide free dental screenings, oral health education and thousands of oral care products to those in need. But we aren’t stopping there; we want to drive awareness of the Smile Gap to help motivate all Americans to join us in our efforts. That’s why we’re honored to partner with Jesse Williams for our 2023 Back-to-School campaign. Through this partnership, we’ll reach millions of Americans who can take action this back-to-school season and help get these game-changers in the hands of those who need them most, bringing us one step closer to our goal of closing America’s smile gap for all.”

For more information on how to join forces with Crest and Oral-B in #ClosingAmericasSmileGap, please visit: https://crest.com/closing-americas-smile-gap/

1 Crest & Oral-B will donate up to 500,000 products purchased from August 1^st to September 30^th, 2023. The product purchased is not guaranteed to be the same product that will be donated.

2 The U.S. Kids’ Oral Health Report Card was powered by a survey of 1,241 parents from diverse socio-economic backgrounds across the U.S.