Getting Gen Z back to the dentist

Being a young adult who is busy balancing work with study or adapting to a new career can leave little time for anything else. There’s a lot happening and it’s only natural that some things slip through the cracks, but good oral health shouldn’t be one of them.

It’s a period of life when cost of living and time pressures are very real, when young people are no longer eligible for the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS), and when they have come off their parents’ private health insurance. Booking regular appointments can be put off for months or even years.

Gen Z’s approach to health information also looks different from previous generations – many turn to health influencers and peers rather than traditional sources.

My Smile campaigns

ADA is running the following three My Smile mini campaigns on social media, supported by recent consumer research commissioned by ADA’s Oral Health Promotion team.

Mouthguards and sport

This campaign highlights the benefit of mouthguard use to prevent dental injuries, particularly in high impact sports. Mouthguard use is lower amongst Gen Z, with reduced use by females compared to males, and use varies based on patients’ geographical position and income levels.

The erosive and cariogenic properties of sports drinks and the risks of over-consumption will also be highlighted.

Cosmetic procedures 

The general public is more focused on aesthetics compared to function, especially their ‘Social 6’ upper anterior teeth. Young people turn to a host of influencers and direct marketing and increasingly take matters into their own hands.

This campaign will share essential information about what cosmetic procedures really involve, and the damage DIY efforts may cause, reminding consumers to rely on their dentist for advice and treatment.

Wisdom teeth

By and large, the general public, including Gen Z, is not aware of the differential diagnosis with issues relating to wisdom teeth versus other oral health conditions.

This campaign raises awareness of signs and symptoms such as pain, halitosis, trismus, intra-oral and extra-oral swelling, acute and/or spreading infection. Managing wisdom teeth is a great opportunity to encourage this age group to visit the dentist.

More information on Dental Health Week will be released in the next month or so.