01 September 2025

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Delta Dental Releases 2025 Tooth Fairy Poll

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In recognition of National Tooth Fairy Day on August 22, Delta Dental released additional findings from its 2025 Original Tooth Fairy Poll.

Now in its 27th year, the poll reveals the Tooth Fairy has visited more than 8 in 10 homes (83%) across the country, an increase from 78% in 2024. This is welcome news, as nearly one-quarter of children (23%) consider the Tooth Fairy’s visit one of their favorite surprises of the year.

Further, approximately one-third of parents say that welcoming the Tooth Fairy into their home fosters their child’s imagination or sense of wonder (35%), and that the visit is the perfect way to spread joy (30%).

“We’re pleased to see the Tooth Fairy’s wings have been in overdrive this year, as each visit is an opportunity to spark conversations with children about strong oral health care practices,” said Gabriella Ferroni, senior director, strategic communications, Delta Dental Plans Association. “Since 1998, Delta Dental has tracked Tooth Fairy giving as a timely reminder for families that good oral health is an essential part of a child’s overall well-being.”

Additional key findings from the 2025 poll include:

The Tooth Fairy instills an array of positive habits

• Almost 1 in 3 parents (30%) believe the Tooth Fairy is a positive way to instill good oral health habits.
• Nearly 1 in 5 (19%) say the Tooth Fairy helps educate their children about the value of money.

The Tooth Fairy is on a budget

• The average value of a single lost tooth during the past year declined by 14%, from $5.84 to $5.01 – marking one of the most significant year-over-year declines in Tooth Fairy giving since the poll’s inception.
• Further, the Tooth Fairy is scaling back on additional gifts, with just 1 in 6 children (16%) receiving both money and something else, compared to 21% in 2024.

The value of a lost tooth and the economy

Historically, the Original Tooth Fairy Poll has typically mirrored the economy’s overall direction, tracking with the trends of the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (S&P 500). However, since 2023, the value of a lost tooth has gone in a different direction. Over the past year, the average value of a single lost tooth decreased 14%, while the S&P 500 experienced a 26% increase during the same period.

About the poll

The Original Tooth Fairy Poll was conducted between Jan. 10, 2025, and Jan. 23, 2025, among 1,000 parents of children ages 6 to 12. The margin of error is +/- 3%.

The January 2024 S&P 500 average was 4,746 and increased to an average of 5,960 for January 2025, consistent with the timing of the Original Tooth Fairy Poll.

About Delta Dental Plans Association

Based in Chicago, Illinois, Delta Dental Plans Association is the not-for-profit national association of the 39 independent Delta Dental companies. Through these companies, Delta Dental is the nation’s largest dental benefits provider and offers the country’s largest dental network, with approximately 151,000 participating dentists. Over the last 15 years, Delta Dental companies and their foundations have invested over $2.3 billion to improve the oral and overall health of our communities.

Source: www.deltadental.com