National Dental Holidays to Celebrate at Your Practice

Recognizing your dental team with gratitude for their hard work over the year is quintessential to having a successful practice. Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are great examples of appreciation days for the labor of love that goes into raising a family. Medical and dental professionals don’t stop at taking care of their families; they go above and beyond to take care of their patients. Dental professionals need to be recognized and appreciated for their hard work because it’s not just a job; they’re improving patients’ lives daily. So, whether you’re looking for some social media inspiration for your practice or want to find a reason to celebrate our amazing industry, we’ve compiled some dental holidays to celebrate this year and every year.

National Dental Holidays

January

• Medical Group Practice Week – Celebrated during the 4th week of January (e.g., Jan 27, 2025)

February

• Children’s Dental Health Month – Official ADA observance marking oral health awareness for kids
• Gum Disease Awareness Month – Often recognized concurrently in February
• Toothache Day – Observed on February 9
• Tooth Fairy Day – Observed on February 28 (some regions also use August 22, see below)

March

• Dental Assistants Recognition Week – The 1st full week of March (March 2–8, 2025)
• Employee Appreciation Day – The 1st Friday in March (March 7, 2025)
• Dentist Day – March 6 (noted in some observance lists)

April

• Dental Hygienist Week – 2nd week of April (April 6–12, 2025)
• World Oral Health Day – March 20, globally recognized by FDI, but often included in dental calendars for April content
• (Note: Oral Cancer Awareness Month is widely in April; confirmed but not cited here)

May

• National Receptionist’s Day – May 12
• Root Canal Awareness Week – 2nd week of May
• Root Canal Day – 2nd Wednesday of May (commonly May 14 in 2025)
• Mental Health Awareness Month – May (broad observance)

June

• Dental Smiles Month – June (common dental observance)
• Dental Diversity Month – June (awareness observance)
• (Confirmed: National I Love My Dentist Day – June 2, but in broader healthcare calendars only)

July

• Write a Letter Appreciation Week – July 1–7 (less widely referenced but noted)

August

• Tooth Fairy Day – August 22 in the U.S. (second observance in some calendars)
• Additional: National Fresh Breath Day – August 6, per broader dental calendar

September

• Gum Care Month – September (common dental theme)
• Global Handwashing Day, Patient Safety Day, etc., are broader healthcare observances (not necessarily dental specific) but often included in calendars

October

• Dental Hygiene Month – October (commonly used in dental planning)
• World Smile Day – 1st Friday in October
• Boss’s Day – October 16 (observed closest weekday if on the weekend)

November

• TMJ Awareness Month – November
• Mouth Cancer Awareness Month – Also in November
• National Brush Day – November 1 (day after Halloween, a broader health campaign)

December

• Hand Washing Awareness Month – December (public health observance)