Another twelve months have gone by all too quickly; and giving yet another opportunity to focus the coming year on oral health.
Whether you’re a patient, front office team member, hygienist, dental assistant or practitioner, the following amalgamated list of all the Australian and US dental-related days for 2026 gives plenty of prompts for your better oral health year.
And at least one reason every month to think about your teeth and gums, or somebody else’s.
It doesn’t matter which side of the world you’re on; what matters is finding a way to permanently instil the high priority oral care has to have in order to achieve and maintain a general sense of wellbeing.
Patients, make those six-monthly check-ups a priority for the start of the year. See if the dental practice you go to – or indeed the one you run – gives itself permission to break the monotony of 365 days with a bit of fun, and a little celebration. Any excuse to bring the importance of good oral health to the forefront of the minds of the people who entrust their oral care to skilled professionals.
January 2026
The New Year
Give yourself a really Happy New Year by having no more than 5 resolutions, with at least one you’ll stick to without any distraction or deviation. Make that single unswervable one, whatever is for you a quantifiable improvement to mouth, teeth and gum health by the end of 2026.
January 26
Dental Drill Appreciation Day
On the surface, hardly something to celebrate – and how wrong that is. To honour the 1875 invention of the dentist’s drill is to recognise the technological innovations dentistry continues to bring. Find methods that erase dental anxiety in patients that can be implemented. Educate. Have an open mind. (That goes for everyone.)
January 26 – February 1, 2026
Medical Group Practice Week
Three or more professionals working together qualifies as a group. Any practice with one clinician and one dental assistant who is also front desk and hygienist rolled into one, has an extraordinary team no matter the number.
Either way, it’s the week to show gratitude for the level of surrounding skill. It’s the week for well-deserved praise and recognition. A day for useful feedback and discerning assessment. A week for discussion and conversations about career contentedness and desired enhancements. Strategies for optimum patient comfort, and achieving quality communication between patient and practitioner that resonates throughout all members of the team.
February 2026
National Children’s Dental Health Month
Twenty-eight days to put the spotlight on the smallest. Whether they’re your kids, or your young patients, take the second month of a brand new year to bring fearlessness to the dentist’s chair for them. The name of the game is getting them to happily do that for the rest of their life. Look at it from their perspective to find fun, interesting and rewarding ways to have them hooked on the value of a healthy mouth.
Gum Disease Awareness Month
Gum disease in any form is little to celebrate, and this is a useful segue for the kids to show what can happen when oral health is neglected. No matter the patient’s age, or team member’s position it’s time to educate patients, share stats, and promote prevention.
February 9
Toothache Day
A day to celebrate either never having had one, or endeavouring to never have another. A brilliant marker for clinics to get in touch with patients to make an appointment before a toothache takes the choice away.
February 28
Tooth Fairy Day
The first one of two for the year. It’s the chance for clinics to make a big deal out of a day dedicated to one of the hardest working permanent team members. Tempt the kids, and know that adult patients often enjoy the distraction too. So get some good social media going, dress up, share something memorable and enjoyable chair side, and let a day of magic begin!
March 2026
March 1 – 7
Dental Assistants Recognition Week
Instigated by the American Dental Assistants Association in 1977, it’s a good warm up for its Golden Jubilee in 2027. A whole week to creatively appreciate those who stand beside you all the way, whether practitioner or patient. Let someone know how truly valued they are, and the special artistry they bring.
March 6
National Dentist’s Day
Being a dentist is a hard job. Undoubtedly, it has its rewards; and it is a consistently challenging career, physically and emotionally. Financially too, if you’re the owner of the practice. It would be surprising for support from the team and colleagues to be limited to just one day a year. If it is, it’s time to make changes. This is a day for useful reflection, and envisaging next steps for staying balanced and enthusiastic within a profession that can have you feel everything but.
March 20
World Oral Health Day
Not local, not national but global. A day to focus everyone’s awareness on oral health. Community education; strategies for the prevention of ill oral health. How incredibly important six-monthly appointments are, and how much money and discomfort they save in the long run.
April 2026
April 12 – 18
Dental Hygienists Week
Time for Dental Assistants to repay the kindnesses and positive recognition hygienists gave them last month. Always a good time to open communication to what it is that sustains an excellent team environment.
Oral Cancer Awareness Month
An opportunity to offer walk-in screenings to expand a clinic’s client base. A time to encourage patients to gain more knowledge in what to look for when self-examining their oral health between visits.
National Facial Protection Month
Mouthguard month. There’s so much to say about protecting your teeth and jaws during contact sport, there are thirty days in which to cover it.
May 2026
Save Your Tooth Month
One of the most understated and sadly neglected innovations of modern dentistry. Preserving natural teeth is more possible than some may think. Often, it requires time, patient and practitioner dedication, and proper understanding of treatment options and outcomes. To be an endodontists is to possess admirable knowledge and precision skill.
Dental School Graduation Month
Connections to be made between old hands and new.
May 12 – June 12
National Smiles Month
The power of dentistry should be celebrated. Quality of life is to enmeshed with good oral health that to volunteer time, raise money, or offer services of value in smile-transformation in your practice is a gift for those who dream of not feeling humiliated by their teeth. Restoring a smile restores dignity and self-worth.
May 13
Root Canal Day; and National Receptionists Day
Perfect timing for educating patients on what leads to the option of having a root canal and the pros and cons of having that particular therapy. Being the first contact for clients and suppliers is a crucial and pressured role. To excel in setting and maintaining the emotional ambience of a practise takes techniques that cannot remain unnoticed.
June 2026
Dental Diversity Month
The cultural influences of oral health and what defines them. The opportunity to acknowledge the value of diversity.
June 26
National Toothbrush Day
Yay! Great for user-friendly content for adults and kids. How to choose the best toothbrush for yourself, or age-appropriately for your offspring. A chance for giveaways and brushing tips.
July 2026
With all that’s happened in the first six months of 2026, July is a whole month of nuthin’. Nuthin’ in Australia; nuthin’ in the US. So revel in having a bit of a rest, or make up a good one and hope it takes off.
August 2026
August 6
National Fresh Breath Day
Hygiene highlights, fresh-breath tips; what to do if you’re caught without a toothbrush. Easy items to have on you so that working in close quarters is never an issue. What causes halitosis, and how harsh mouthwashes are not the answer.
August 11
National Align Your Teeth Day
Everything about cosmetic dentistry and orthodontics; and how perfection is not always attainable or preferable. Information on the advantages and disadvantages of dental veneers, and what issues can result from malocclusions.
August 22
Tooth Fairy Day
The other Tooth Fairy Day. Great for promoting all aspects of oral health, not just paediatrics.
September 2026
Office Manager Appreciation Month
An entire month to show appreciation for the person who keeps everything running so smoothly, everything they do is seamless. Never, ever confuse them making it look easy for actually being easy. For dental events 2026 has thought of everything: expos, dentist festivals, dental weeks, tooth fairy week and industry conferences – even the practice managers get an entire dental month!
National Gum Care Month
It can so easily seem like a repeat of February’s Gum Disease Awareness month, but let’s just say it’s not. This is thirty days to share useful gum health information and educate patients on their periodontal health nationally.
October 2026
Dental Hygiene Month
Not to be confused with Dental Hygienist’s Month in April, this is the chance for them to show their skills and patient rapport by engaging clients to want to improve their dental hygiene regimens.
Dental Marketing Month
Yes, even dental marketing gets its whole month! Whether our pet subject of dental SEO or semi-secret strategies to invoke increased word of mouth, this month is all about teaching your dental clinic staff to increase their value by up-skilling their advertising nous. The chance for them to developing their skills and patient rapport by engaging clients to want to buy more cosmetic dentistry procedures and the like.
October 2
World Smile Day
Perfect for social media interaction, and illustrating the diversity of what makes a smile beautiful. It’s not always because it’s flawless.
November 2026
TMJ Awareness Month
What temporomandibular joint pain is, and what can cause it. How it can present as something else, and the therapies available.
Mouth Cancer Action Month
Oral Cancer Awareness month was eight months ago – it’s time to give to community once more by offering education and screening.
November 1
Brush Day
Every day should be Brush Day. It’s a good day to open the flossing debate, and what the alternatives might be.
December 2026
December 6 – 12
Handwashing Awareness Week
You’d think this would be good to know from the beginning of the year, but demonstrating proper handwashing techniques and why they work is worth sharing anytime.
With everyone.
For those feeling more drawn to a year of dental events acknowledged in Australia and decidedly more compact than in the US, here goes:
February is Children’s Dental Health month.
February 28 is Tooth Fairy Day, just like it is across the Atlantic.
March 6 is also National Dentist’s Day as it is in the States – so maybe it should be International Dentist’s Day.
March 20 is World Oral Health Day too; being that it’s global ‘n all.
April 30 to May 2 marks the premier paediatric dental event in Australasia: the Australian and New Zealand Society of Paediatic Dentistry (ANZSPD) 22 Biennial Congress 2026. This year’s theme is ‘Propel. Connect. Smile.’ Its inspiring program is being held in Sydney, at the Hyatt Regency.
August 3 to 9 is Dental Health Week. The Australian Dental Association (ADA) has its annual oral health campaign that too few of us actually take notice. Every year it does its best to encourage better dental health for Australians. The specific focus of the campaign is always announced closer to the event.
August 22 is Tooth Fairy Day Number 2 for the year, just as it is in America.
October is Orthodontic Health Month; as well as Dental Hygiene Month as it is in the US.
Whichever side of the planet you’re on, all dental days are worth it.
It doesn’t matter that some seem awfully the same. They’re all reminders with good intention and some fun along the way, in order for us to all pay closer and better attention to the happiness of our mouths ..!!
