Celebrating the World Oral Health Day 2026 Award Winners

World Oral Health Day 2026 marked the close of the FDI's three-year 'A Happy Mouth is…' campaign, culminating in a celebration at the FDI World Dental Congress in Prague. The occasion also saw the launch of Generation Smile — the oral health movement for all — as the theme for WOHD 2027, signalling a new chapter for the global campaign.

Four winners were recognised for their exceptional efforts in bringing this year's theme, A Happy Mouth is… A Happy Life, to communities around the world. The awards spanned education, media, community outreach, and student engagement — reflecting the breadth of approaches that can drive meaningful oral health impact.

The Tanzania Dental Association took the Most Educational Activity award for a nationwide campaign that reached more than 318,000 people with face-to-face oral health education, conducted over 56,000 screenings, and provided treatment to more than 3,400 individuals across mainland Tanzania — from health facilities and schools to prisons and public spaces.

The Turkish Dental Association won Best Media Campaign for a multi-channel effort combining digital communications, outdoor advertising, school visits, and community activities. The campaign generated more than 2.5 million social media views across over 95 digital accounts, achieving broad national reach across Türkiye.

Arrow Dental Center in Kenya received the Most Engaging Community Campaign award for its Smiles Without Borders initiative, which partnered with the Ministry of Health across 23 counties to reach more than 900,000 people directly. The flagship Kibera Mega Dental Camp alone served over 60,000 people and mobilised more than 550 healthcare personnel.

The Hermosillo Dental Student Association from Mexico claimed Best Campaign by a Dental Students Association, reaching 962 participants through schools, academic events, and a seven-day international volunteering programme that welcomed dental students from Portugal and Tunisia for academic training and community service.

Together, the four winners demonstrate the many ways the World Oral Health Day message can be turned into meaningful action — through education, communications, community outreach, and the energy of the next generation of oral health professionals. The full list of winners and campaign highlights is available at the FDI World Dental Federation website.