The theme for WOHD 2026, “A happy mouth is a happy life”, is the culmination of a three-year campaign that has used clear and accessible messaging to inspire lasting change. Beginning in 2024, the campaign saw the introduction of Toothie the Beaver, a loveable mascot who has helped to animate the connection between mouth and body by emphasising prevention, health promotion and the integration of oral health into general health systems. WOHD 2025 expanded the message by connecting oral health with improved confidence, self-esteem and mental well-being, generating over 55,000 resource downloads and some 600 related oral health activities by partners and stakeholders across the world. WOHD 2026 seeks to build on this foundation.

Dr Lella told Dental Tribune International: “The key objective of this year’s campaign is to show that oral health underpins overall well-being at every stage of life. In this final year, we take a life-course approach and focus on turning awareness into sustained, everyday action, empowering dental professionals, communities and partners to make oral health part of everyday health and well-being. By bringing together the dimensions of body, mind and life, the 2026 theme reinforces that good oral health is not only about preventing disease; it is also about enabling people to live healthier, fuller lives and mobilising our global community to translate awareness into lasting impact.”

Webinar to feature practical insights

Supported by the FDI Oral Health Campus, the webinar will provide an in-depth look at the key WOHD messages and resources and guide dental teams on how they can harness the campaign to make a positive impact among various audiences in their communities. “Attending the webinar will give participants a clear, practical road map for getting involved in WOHD. FDI will also share its digital activation plan and simple ways to amplify impact locally and online,” Dr Lella said.

She explained that the webinar will focus on practical actions, walking participants through the WOHD toolkit and demonstrating how the resources can be used immediately in real-world settings, such as clinics, schools and community initiatives. The toolkit includes a comprehensive suite of adaptable resources, such as posters, social media content, videos, educational fact sheets and activity sheets for children, as well as advocacy tools.

“The aim is simple: remove the barriers of time, cost and content creation so that stakeholders can focus on outreach rather than starting from scratch,” Dr Lella said, adding: “We’ve seen this approach deliver real results. In previous years, our webinars and toolkits have empowered hundreds of stakeholders worldwide to organise local initiatives and significantly expand the campaign’s reach.”

The webinar, titled “World Oral Health Day 2026: A Happy Mouth is a Happy Life—insights and how to get involved”, will take place on 18 February at 3 p.m. CET. For more information and to register, visit the FDI Oral Health Campus.

Call to oral health action

Locally, dental practitioners can share prevention messages in everyday patient interactions, display campaign materials in clinics, and organise awareness activities in schools, workplaces or public community venues. The main campaign video and campaign song can also be used during events or educational sessions to support more engaging delivery of key message.

Nationally, dental professionals can work through their FDI member associations to adapt and translate campaign resources, coordinate media outreach and lead advocacy efforts. This could include using the government briefing toolkit to engage policymakers and support national oral health and non-communicable disease strategies.

Globally, everyone can help amplify the campaign online through social media and interactive activities. On Toothie’s Instagram, participants can share a photograph or short story about what a “happy mouth” means to them—via the “Add Yours” story highlight—from 13 February.

Dr Lella said: “When thousands of professionals and associations act together, these combined efforts create a much broader impact than any single initiative.”

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