The Smiles for Life campaign provides opportunities to whiten teeth and brighten smiles around the globe while supporting children's health charities. Raising more than $51 million since its inception in 1998, Smiles for Life brings an annual opportunity for patients to do good for others while giving their smiles an upgrade through treatments available between March 1 and June 30. As the charitable arm of The Crown Council – a group of leading dentists around the world – Smiles for Life is dentistry's most successful charity. The campaign unites dentists, patients and dental manufacturers to benefit local and global children's health.
When someone schedules a teeth whitening treatment with a Crown Council dentist office nationwide during the campaign period, or a teeth straightening treatment anytime, the member dentist donates his or her time and expertise. Longstanding strategic partner Ultradent Products, Inc., maker of Opalescence tooth whitening systems, donates 100 percent of the teeth whitening materials. This donation ensures the entire cost of each teeth whitening goes directly to the Smiles for Life Foundation. Fifty percent of the proceeds benefit seriously ill, disabled and underprivileged children around the world via Smiles for Life, while the remaining 50 percent stays in each member dentist's local community as dentists select their beneficiary charity of choice.
For patients wanting a straighter smile, Smiles for Life partners with Tréz clear aligners, with a portion of each treatment cost donated directly to the Smiles for Life Foundation. Greg Anderson, director of the Crown Council, stated, "We are proud to offer this unique opportunity to do good simply by having teeth whitened or straightened." Since its inception, Smiles for Life dentists have supported more than 600 local children's charities. The Smiles for Life Foundation supports national and international oral health and other programs benefiting economically-disadvantaged children across the world, including the Dominican Republic, Nepal, Bolivia, and Guatemala.
Smiles for Life also maintains a strong longtime partnership with the Garth Brooks Teammates for Kids Foundation, which supports Child Life Zones in children's hospitals across the United States. For more information on the campaign, please visit https://smilesforlife.org/. The Crown Council is an alliance of driven, dedicated dentists who are committed to excellence in their practice, improving their patients' oral health and bettering the communities around them. This initiative demonstrates how healthcare services can be structured to create meaningful social impact while addressing patient needs, creating a sustainable model that has operated successfully for over two decades.
