FDI World Dental Federation launches Generation Smile, the oral health movement for all

Generation Smile is a generation unlike any other. It isn't defined by the year you were born. It unites people of every age, background and culture around one shared purpose: making oral health a priority because it is essential to health and well-being – for everyone, everywhere.

PRAGUE, Czech Republic, 6 September 2026 – Today, at the FDI World Dental Congress in Prague, FDI World Dental Federation (FDI) officially unveiled Generation Smile – the oral health movement for all, a new platform for World Oral Health Day (WOHD). Under its first-year theme, Join Generation Smile, the campaign invites people around the world to come together to champion oral health as an essential part of overall health and well-being.

Generation Smile is built on the powerful idea that lasting change begins with each of us. Whether it is brushing twice a day, adopting healthier habits, visiting a dentist regularly, encouraging others to care for their teeth and gums, or advocating for the right to oral health for all – everyone has a role to play, and every action counts. Because together, millions of individual actions can become a global movement for change.

Generation Smile redefines oral health as something bigger than just the mouth, while remaining unmistakably connected to it. “The smile is not the outcome. It is the symbol of everything a healthy mouth makes possible – from health to confidence, comfort, connection and well-being. By helping people protect their oral health throughout life, Generation Smile aims to create healthier communities and brighter futures around the world,” said Dr Anna Lella, WOHD Working Group Chair. At the heart of this is an important reality: the health of our mouths is integral to general health, with oral diseases linked to a range of systemic conditions. Inspired by the universal language of street art, Generation Smile introduces a bold new visual identity designed to transcend borders and cultures. Throughout the campaign, people around the world will be invited to add their voice to a global digital mural – turning individual support into a collective work of art. “With Generation Smile, we want to give people a shared space to say: my oral health matters, and caring for it matters too. We want to create a movement for lifelong oral health – because oral health has the power to change lives, and everyone can be part of that change,” said Assist. Prof. Dr Nikolai Sharkov, President of FDI. “With nearly 3.7 billion people affected by oral diseases worldwide, we cannot accept that so many continue to live without the oral healthcare they need. Every healthy choice we make, every conversation we start and every person we inspire brings us one step closer to FDI's vision of a world with optimal oral health. Generation Smile is an invitation to people everywhere to join a movement that will leave a lasting legacy for future generations.” Over the years, World Oral Health Day has united thousands of people behind a common cause: individuals, oral health professionals, National Dental Associations, schools, partners and policymakers from every corner of the world.