The Crown Council dentists who participate in humanitarian work made possible by the Smiles For Life Foundation say their goal is to improve the lives of those they come in contact with.
“Our motto is,” one of them said, “it’s not about the teeth, it’s about the people.”
The Smiles For Life Foundation is the charitable arm of the Crown Council, and in the more than twenty years since it was established, it has raised more than forty million dollars. That money is used to help seriously ill, disabled, and underprivileged children all over the world.
Smiles For Life raises money through an annual teeth whitening campaign. Each year, from March through June, Crown Council dentists all over the United States and Canada offer their teeth whitening services at greatly reduced prices. Instead of paying the dentist, though, patients whose teeth are whitened make a donation to Smiles For Life.
Half of that payment goes to the local charity partner of the participating dentist. The rest goes the Smiles For Life Foundation, for distribution to approved charities all over the world.
Participating charities include St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, Ronald McDonald House, and the Garth Brooks Teammates for Kids Foundation.
“The really cool part?” said Garth Brooks. “100% of the money goes straight to the kids.”
Smiles For Life has also funded humanitarian expeditions into the Dominican Republic and Guatemala. “At the end of the day,” said one of the participating dentists, “it’s really not about how many teeth you fix in a day. It’s about the people that you put your arm around, and let them know that we’re all God’s children.”
The Smiles For Life Foundation is the children’s charity arm of the Crown Council, an alliance of dental professionals who are committed to promoting oral health, fighting oral cancer, and to serving their communities through charitable work.
