ADA 'Healthy Smile' Program

The launch of the "Smile Healthy" certification program is aimed at helping consumers identify which foods and beverages are good for oral health. The Smile Healthy logo will first appear on one-gallon containers of fluoridated bottles water, but the ADA anticipates future product categories such as sugar-free foods, beverages, and dairy products. ADA President Mark Feldman noted that "Some people may live in areas where their drinking water is not fluoridated." Water Source One, a large national bottles water manufacturer with fifteen facilities in the United States, is the first company to be granted a "Smile Healthy" license. Under the "Kid Pure" brand, the logo will appear this spring in Florida, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio.

The certification program criteria are 1) product categories must have a specific identifiable oral health benefit, 2) the logo will not be exclusive as all companies may earn it, and 3) the ADA receives no revenue, but 1% of net sales will be received by the ADA Foundation.

The ADA has long supported the addition of fluoride in optimal amounts to water to help prevent tooth decay. Water Source One with its fluoridated bottled water was an ideal company to recommend to consumers.