2024 celebrates the 9th anniversary of the Westcoast Dental’s Smile Art Contest. This competition serves as an engaging platform for children aged 12 and under and is eagerly anticipated each year. Westcoast takes pride in providing this opportunity for young artists to nurture their creativity while gaining insights into dental health care. 

Building on the success of previous years, we are thrilled to announce the launch of the Smile Art Contest 2024, under the inspiring theme: “EXPLORE VIETNAMESE CULTURE”.

This year, Westcoast’s message to the children is as follows:

“Vietnam, with its enthralling natural landscapes, rich culture and welcoming people, is an exceptionally poetic and beautiful country. Join the charming tooth character on a journey across the length of this S-shaped land, and bring to life the vibrant essence of Vietnam through your art.”

From the northern reaches to the southernmost point of Ca Mau, including the archipelagos of Hoang Sa and Truong Sa, you will encounter breathtaking views of towering mountains, crystal-clear seas, pristine beaches, meandering rivers, verdant rice fields and vast bird sanctuaries.

The 54 ethnic groups that call Vietnam home will greet you with open arms. Each group offers a glimpse into their unique customs, traditions, and folk arts, including traditional dances, vibrant markets, and memorable cuisines.

By engaging with the everyday life of Vietnam, you will gain a deeper appreciation for the country’s cultural richness. Every location you explore and every individual you meet will provide invaluable inspiration for your artwork, deepening your pride and sharing the captivating culture wonders of Vietnam with the world.

The Smile Art Contest 2024 is scheduled to run from April 1st to June 2nd, 2024, featuring attractive prizes, including Weekly Awards and a Grand Prize.

A new feature of this year’s contest is the requirement for participants to use at least three materials from nature or everyday life in their artwork, enhancing its creativity and depth.

Children aged 12 and below living in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Children must be supervised by their parents, relatives, or teachers, who will assist in submitting their entries in line with the organizers’ guidelines.

● Step 1: Capture a high-resolution image of the child’s artwork.

● Step 2: Provide a detailed description of the artwork, including:
    ○ The child’s full name and date of birth  
    ○ The name of the school/art center or the parent’s name and phone number
    ○ Both the name and meaning of the artwork. Please include a brief description (up to 300 words) to convey your child’s thoughts on their piece.

● Step 3: Like the Westcoast International Dental Clinic Fanpage and connect with our team for contest entry. Submit the photograph and the details provided in Step 2 via email to marketing@westcoastinternational.com or by messaging the Westcoast International Dental Clinic Fanpage.

● Step 4: Share your child’s contest submission from the Westcoast Fanpage, using the hashtags #SAC2024 and #nhakhoawestcoast. Entries will be shared publicly on the Westcoast Fanpage every Tuesday and Friday.

The final result:

Following the submission deadline, the Organizing Committee will select 20 entries with the highest scores from the Judges’ Panel to advance to Round 2—the final round of evaluation.

Weekly prizes will be awarded to the six entries that receive the most interaction each week, judged on aesthetic appeal, theme relevance, message, and interaction authenticity.

Round 1: From April 1st to May 12th

Deadline for contest entries is until May 12th, 2024.

After the submission deadline, the Organizing Committee will select 20 contest entries with the highest scores from the Judges’ Panel to proceed to Round 2—the final ranking round.

Round 2 (Final round): May 13th to June 2nd.

May 13th to May 15th: The organizers will announce the 20 contest entries selected for the final round.

May 16th to May 21st: These 20 entries, as chosen by the judges, will submit their official drawings to the organizers for the final round.

During this period, the organizers will also issue invitations for the award ceremony to schools, centers, parents, and contestants who have made it to this final stage.

June 2nd, 2024: The award ceremony, where the final results will be revealed, is set to be held at the Westcoast Dental Clinic, located at 17-19-21 Ly Tu Trong, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.

Each week, the Organizing Committee will award a prize to one contest entry based on its assessment and the entry’s level of interaction that week.

Submitting an entry early increases the likelihood of winning a weekly prize. 

However, entries that have won in a previous week will not be eligible for competition in subsequent weeks.

All contest entries are eligible to be selected as one of the 20 finalists, with the chance to win the top prize.

Scoring criteria:

The artwork will be evaluated based on a 3-point scale:

• Correct Theme (50% of total points): The entry must accurately reflect the title and message of the Smile Art Contest 2024.
• Artistic Value (30% of total points): The entry should effectively utilize natural materials, demonstrate creativity, feature beautiful color schemes, have clear layouts, and incorporate new materials.
• Humanistic Value (20% of total points): The title and description of the artwork should offer positive inspiration to others.

The Organizing Committee will also consider the age of the contestants to award the most deserving prizes appropriately.

It is important to note that the outcomes of the final round will be based exclusively on the judgment of the Organizing Committee.

• Contestants may submit multiple entries but are limited to one entry per week. The judges will select the most outstanding entry from each participant for final round evaluation.
• Participants are encouraged to use a variety of materials, including crayons, colored pencils, pastels, watercolors, colored chalk, and oil paint, to express their creativity. Sculptures, 3D art, and digital drawings are also welcome.
• A minimum of three natural or everyday items must be incorporated into each entry to enhance its vibrancy, appeal, and originality. For example: materials include leaves, pebbles, beans, and seashells.
• Entries must be at least A4 size or larger.
• Any form of plagiarism will result in disqualification. Entries must adhere to all contest rules and be the original work of the child, without having received awards in other contests.
• All submissions must be received by May 12, 2024. Entries submitted after this deadline will not be accepted.
• Should a child’s work advance to the final round after Round 1, the organizers will notify schools, teachers, and parents.
• The top five out of 20 finalists, as determined by the judges, will be awarded the contest’s highest honors this year.
• The organizers will retain all entries and reserve the right to use them, along with any related information and images of the contestants, for promotional purposes without compensation.
• The organizers reserve the right to disqualify any contestant at any time without prior notice for submitting fraudulent information, non-original entries, or for any violation of contest rules, Vietnamese culture/law, or inclusion of political content.
• In the event of disputes or complaints, the organizers’ decision will be final.