Updated: Aug. 25, 2026

Oral Health Lesson Plans/Teaching Tools

• Oral Health Standards-based Supplemental Curriculum (pdf)
  This elementary oral health curriculum provides engaging, hands-on, literacy-driven lessons and activities that help students learn how to care for their teeth and understand the importance of good oral health. Lessons also promote healthy food choices and ways to keep smiles safe and injury-free. Each lesson includes learning objectives and alignment with applicable South Carolina Health and Safety Education, Literacy-Based Inquiry, and English Language Arts standards.
• Oral Health Curriculum: 7th Grade (pdf)
  This resource guide has activities for young teenagers.
• Afterschoolers Oral Health Resource Guide (pdf)
  This resource guide has activities designed for students in grades 1-5 participating in after-school programs. The "lessons" involve the elementary-age child in hands-on activities that will acquaint them with taking care of their teeth and understanding why that is important; teaching them to like and to choose healthy foods; and encouraging them keep their smiles safe and injury free. This guide is designed for use in child care centers and schools with after-school programs. It would also be a good resource for homeschool associations and parent and community outreach programs.
• Teacher Activities for the Early Childhood Classroom (pdf)
  This resource guide has activities for infants through age 4. The "lessons" are designed to involve the very young child in hands-on activities that will acquaint them with their mouth and how to care for their teeth; help them learn to like healthy foods; and encourage them keep their smiles safe. This guide is designed for use in childcare centers serving infants-preschoolers and would be a good resource for homeschool associations and parent and community outreach programs.
• Oral Health for Preschoolers: Parent Information Booklet (pdf)
  This parent information booklet contains information for parents that is developmentally appropriate and based on recommendations from the Bright Futures in Practice: Oral Health By P. Cassamassimo. The sheets are easy to understand and can help parents take an active role in establishing and maintaining good oral health for their child. General topics include taking care of teeth, selecting the right toothbrush and toothpaste, good nutrition, safety, and going to the dentist.
• Oral Health Puppet Show for Schools and Head Start Centers
  Flora and Floppy go to the Dentist is a 20 minute interactive puppet show for children ages 3-8. The Columbia Marionette Puppet show is designed to engage and entertain preschool and school-age children while teaching them key messages about how to maintain good dental health.

DPH School Dental Prevention Programs

• DPH School Dental Prevention Program Informational Flyer (pdf)
  This is information for parents of children in schools served by the DPH School Dental Prevention Program. It describes how the program works and the importance of preventing tooth decay.

Resources for School-Based Dental Programs

• Seal America: The Prevention Intervention
  School-Based Dental Sealant Program Training is a series of modules designed to ensure that school-based dental sealant program staff have a thorough understanding of the history, operations, and underlying fundamentals of the program. The training now contains step-by-step techniques used to apply dental sealants, which were formerly found in the Seal America manual.