Colgate-Palmolive and the Hispanic Dental Association Empower Hispanic Families to Achieve Healthy Smiles During "Oral Health Month"

NEW YORK, June 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Colgate-Palmolive Company joined the Hispanic Dental Association (HDA) to celebrate the launch of Colgate's "Oral Health Month". From now until June 30, this annual campaign will help fight the poor oral health epidemic by educating Hispanic consumers and their families about the importance of proper oral care.

In partnership with the HDA, this campaign will strongly target the Hispanic community through bilingual oral health education materials and activities. According to the National Institutes of Health, Latinos have the highest rate of untreated tooth decay and the lowest level of dental visits of all racial and ethnic groups in the U.S.¹ Due to language barriers, lack of familiarity and low dental insurance coverage levels, our Latino population continues to experience difficulty in accessing oral healthcare services and education.

"At Colgate, we are committed to giving everyone access to the tools they need to make oral health a priority, and encouraging our consumers and their families to learn more and embrace healthy oral care habits that will last a lifetime," said Carla Kelly, General Manager, U.S. Multicultural Marketing, Colgate-Palmolive.

During "Oral Health Month", Colgate's flagship program, Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures® will travel throughout the U.S. to provide free oral health education and dental screenings to children via mobile dental vans.  To help spread the message of proper oral health, Karla Martinez – Colgate® spokesperson, TV personality and mother of two – will be joining Colgate's Bright Smiles, Bright Futures® during the following tour stops:

-- Saturday, June 7 at 11 a.m. PDT
El Super, 5610 York Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90042

-- Saturday, June 7 at 4 p.m. PDT
El Super, 14601 Lakewood Blvd.
Paramount, CA 90723

-- Saturday, June 14 at 12 p.m. CDT
Fiesta Store, 4711 Airline Dr.
Houston, TX 77022

-- Saturday, June 14th at 4 p.m. CDT
Fiesta Store, 6200 Bellaire Blvd.
Houston, TX 77081

On a larger level, all families are encouraged to visit Colgate.com/OHM, to submit a pledge to improve their oral health habits. For each online pledge submitted, Colgate will donate a variety pack of oral care products, including toothpaste, mouthwash and toothbrushes, to dental clinics in need throughout Hispanic communities across the U.S.²

Consumers can also follow and engage with @SonrisaColgate on Twitter for news and oral health tips. Fans will be asked to share photos of their families and their brilliant smiles, and will be selected at random to receive Colgate Total and Optic White product for the whole family for one year, to help make oral health a priority year round.

"We know that there are many factors that contribute to poor oral health among the Latino population, including lack of dental insurance, lack of education about dental care and lack of access to dental care," said Tyrone Rodriguez, President, Hispanic Dental Association. "Our partnership with Colgate gives us the opportunity to push the boundaries of oral care through a variety of initiatives accessible to everyone."

To learn more about Colgate's "Oral Health Month" and to access the oral health pledge, please visit the campaign's bilingual website at www.Colgate.com/OHM. 

About Colgate-Palmolive
Colgate-Palmolive is a leading global consumer products company, tightly focused on oral care, personal care, home care and pet nutrition. Colgate-Palmolive sells its products in over 200 countries and territories around the world, under such internationally recognized brand names as Colgate, Palmolive, Mennen, Softsoap, Irish Spring, Protex, Sorriso, Kolynos, Elmex, Tom's of Maine, Sanex, Ajax, Axion, Soupline, and Suavitel, as well as Hill's Science Diet and Hill's Prescription Diet. For more information about Colgate-Palmolive's global business, visit the Company's website at www.Colgate.com. To learn more about Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures®, Colgate's global oral health education program, please visit http://www.colgatebsbf.com.

About Hispanic Dental Association
The Hispanic Dental Association is a national, non-profit organization comprised of oral health professionals and dental students dedicated to eliminating oral health disparities in the Hispanic community by providing service, education, advocacy, and leadership.

¹ The National Center http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2147600/

² Colgate will donate up to $40,000 in products to dental clinics in your community. No purchase required. For every Pledge between June 1 to June 30, 2014, Colgate Palmolive will donate $1 dollar's worth of product to each of 4 dental clinics in New York, Miami, Houston and Los Angeles for a minimum donation of $5,000 and a maximum donation of $10,000 to each clinic.

SOURCE Colgate-Palmolive