Dr Uchenna Okoye has been appointed as the new Smile Director for Oral-B.
Her role will involve raising awareness of oral health issues in the consumer media.
She will also act as a technical expert to field queries from journalists.
Commenting on her appointment Uchenna explained: 'A large amount of the work I do could be prevented through good oral hygiene. As professionals we all strive to give our patients the advice and tools they need to look after their teeth between appointments. This message, however, needs to be reinforced through consumer media.'
With up to 50% of the population not regularly visiting a dentist, Oral-B spokeswoman Jane Kidson said: 'It is essential that we extend the reach of our message beyond the practice. Uchenna’s profile will help us give oral hygiene and dentistry the same prominence within the consumer press as other healthcare issues such as diet, nutrition and skincare.'