The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), the recognized leader in children’s oral health, today unveiled its new tagline, “America’s Pediatric Dentists, The Big Authority on Little Teeth,” targeted to the lay public. This new consumer branding campaign is an effort to better connect with parents and caregivers and educate them on the critical need for early check-ups and regular oral care for children. The new brand identity is the start of a consumer-focused effort that will include a broad awareness campaign launching in 2014.
Tooth decay is the number one chronic infectious disease among children in the United States, affecting 42 percent of children aged 2 to 11 years. Furthermore, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one-fourth of U.S. children age 2 to 5 have tooth decay. If left untreated, tooth decay causes pain and infections that may lead to problems in areas such as eating, speaking, playing and learning.
Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), an estimated 3 million children are expected to immediately gain dental insurance coverage under state health insurance exchanges and an additional 3 million under Medicaid. The AAPD worked closely with health care legislators to secure the inclusion of the pediatric oral health benefit requirement as part of the ACA’s essential health benefits package.
“America’s pediatric dentists are uniquely trained to address the important oral health issues that children face,” said Dr. Warren A. Brill, pediatric dentist and AAPD president. “Between the epidemic of dental disease among children and the significant changes to dental coverage under healthcare reform, parents and caregivers need an authoritative resource to help them navigate these critical issues related to the health and well-being of children.
The new branding includes the unchanged AAPD logo mark paired with a new tagline that reflects the approachability, care and expertise of pediatric dentists.
“‘The Big Authority on Little Teeth’ branding is designed to clearly communicate the AAPD’s role as a primary source of children’s oral health information to the public,” said Dr. John S. Rutkauskas, AAPD CEO. “We believe this new branding maintains our existing identity while moving the organization in a new direction to better connect with consumers.”
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About the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry is the recognized authority on children's oral health. Founded in 1947, the AAPD is a not-for-profit professional membership association representing the specialty of pediatric dentistry. Its 8,800 members provide primary care and comprehensive dental specialty treatments for infants, children, adolescents and individuals with special health care needs. For further information, visit the AAPD website at http://www.aapd.org or the AAPD's consumer website at http://www.mychildrensteeth.org.
