Volunteers from Haleon, a consumer company that is solely focused on better everyday health, have led almost 80 interactive oral health lessons at 30 schools during March 2026, culminating in reaching 2,500 children across the UK on World Oral Health Day 2026.
This activity forms part of the nationwide Aquafresh Shine Bright programme, which aims to establish positive everyday oral health habits among children.
During the visits, Haleon volunteers ran classroom activities on the importance of brushing your teeth twice a day. Haleon has donated nearly 5000 tubes of toothpaste and toothbrushes to participating schools to support learning in school and encourage healthy habits at home.
The activity comes as Government figures show tooth decay continues to be the leading cause of hospital admissions for children aged five to nine in England, with thousands of young people requiring hospital treatment for tooth extractions each year[1].
Early, practical education can help children build healthy routines before more serious problems develop.
Mike Durkin, GB Sales Director at Haleon, said: “Improving children’s oral health requires collaboration between schools, families, healthcare professionals and industry. By providing engaging resources and encouraging simple daily habits like brushing twice a day, Shine Bright can play an important role in supporting prevention and helping children build healthy routines early in life.”
But education is only part of the picture, many families in the country continue to face barriers to accessing routine dental care. Haleon research shows that one in four adults (24.6%) in the UK delay visiting the dentist due to concerns about cost, while more than a third (35.1%) say they have either been unable to register with a dentist or secure an appointment[2], meaning many miss routine check-ups and preventative advice.
Sarah McDonald, VP Health Inclusivity and Sustainability at Haleon, added: “Building health literacy is central to Haleon’s ambition to provide opportunities for over 300 million people a year to take more control of their everyday health by 2030. Through programmes like Shine Bright, we’re providing trusted information and practical tools to help people take care of their everyday health to reduce preventable health conditions, relieve pressure on the health system and improve health outcomes.”
Since the Shine Bright programme was launched in 2021, the initiative has reached over 400 schools, with 140,000 children taking part across the UK and Ireland, helping improve access to oral health education and preventative guidance for families.
Rebecca Campbell, Assistant Headteacher, Wimbledon Park Primary School, said: “We were really impressed with how well organised the programme was. The children were incredibly engaged throughout – they loved the interactive elements, from the music and movement to the 21-day challenge. It reinforced what we’re already teaching as part of our curriculum and gave them extra motivation to take these healthy habits home.”
Aquafresh’s Shine Bright programme provides schools with free educational resources to support oral health education developed in collaboration with educational and dental experts. The materials include teacher lesson plans, classroom activities, videos, and a 21-day toothbrushing challenge to make learning about oral health engaging both in school and at home.
Schools and parents can find out more about the programme and access resources at https://www.aquafresh.com/en-gb/about-us/The-Shine-Bright-Club/
