the National Children's Oral Health Foundation

Having a beautiful smile would change everything for her son. Jalen’s mother had tried to get him the 

 he needed, but the family had faced hard times over the years and they were unable to afford it. Accidents resulting in trauma to his mouth as a child had left him with a broken smile.

A hardworking student and a talented artist, Jalen had great potential, but poor oral health was robbing him of his self-esteem and ability to concentrate in school. He was painfully shy and covered his mouth when he spoke. Afraid of being teased because of his ugly smile, making friends proved to be an impossible task. So Jalen kept to himself and was considered a loner. He refrained from asking for help with his studies during class, fearing the attention and ridicule that could bring. Enduring constant pain and shame, he began to struggle academically. Then, the unfortunate loss of his beloved grandmother further shattered his fragile spirit. 

Jalen’s mother felt powerless as her son retreated into a shell of silence and pain with each passing year. Realizing his future was in jeopardy, Jalen’s mother vowed to find a way to help her son. Then, tragedy struck once again. Before she could realize her dream of seeing her son smile again, she died.

All hope was not lost. Touched by the dignified way that Jalen continued on in spite of his terrible loss, his art teacher could not simply watch as this gifted teen suffered in silence. She could see that his poor oral health was damaging his self-esteem and making it difficult for him to learn and even speak.  “He is so self-conscious about his teeth. Jalen has the most insightful comments, yet when he speaks, he covers his mouth with his hand every time, making him difficult to understand.”

Compelled to take up his mother’s charge to find a way to give Jalen the healthy smile he deserved, his teacher reached out to 

, a teen program of the National Children’s Oral Health Foundation: 

(NCOHF) that provides promising, at-risk teens with comprehensive oral health services to help prepare them for healthy, successful futures. “ Jalen would greatly appreciate the opportunity for a better smile and to fulfill his mother’s wish,” she remarked about this remarkable young man.

 helps restore smiles and self- esteem while encouraging teens to take responsibility for their oral health. Caring volunteer dentists provide pro-bono restorative services to a pre-screened ambitious teen. 

 volunteer dentists also have access to generously donated 

) to help restore the smiles of pre-screened, promising teens. 

In return for receiving this life-changing care, participating teens 

 by sharing their newfound oral health knowledge through interactive oral health lessons with younger children in their community.

enables these teens to serve as mentors and teachers to children, encouraging good oral health habits that will help them maintain beautiful, happy smiles throughout their lives and help break the cycle of pediatric dental disease in their own community.

Jalen underwent full orthodontic treatment, thanks to Drs. Jennifer Ludwig, Dr. Eugene Simon and their dedicated staff. Dr. Stephen Shall generously donated his services and performed Jalen’s oral surgery. Dr. Ted Beitelschees, Anne Britt, RDH and the Owens Community College Dental Center and Dental Hygiene Clinic provided preventive and restorative dental services. As his oral health improved, his grades improved as well. No longer avoiding eye contact with others, Jalen smiles easily and confidently. “This has been a rewarding experience for me and others who know Jalen’s story,” commented Anne Britt, RDH of Owens Community College. By donating their time and expertise, these dental professionals helped make a mother’s wish come true and restored Jalen’s smile, his confidence and hope for a happy, healthy future.

You can help transform a teen’s needless pain and suffering into a beautiful smile and the promise of a brighter future by volunteering for Tomorrow’s SMILES.  To learn more about Tomorrow’s SMILES, visit 

 to volunteer to save a smile and change a teen’s life today!

Articles

Having a beautiful smile would change everything for her son. Jalen’s mother had tried to get him the dental care he needed, but the family had faced hard times over the years and they were unable to afford it. Accidents resulting in trauma to his mouth as a child had left him with a broken smile.

Restore Teenage Smiles: Improved grades

Bullied for years and enduring cruel taunts from her classmates, Micah would cry herself to sleep every night.  The teasing grew worse with each passing day, and finally her peers resorted to cyber bullying, calling her names and posting their harsh words online for all to see.  Called “Tiger Teeth” by her peers, she found making friends difficult and suffered in pain every day.  “No one wants to be around the girl with ragged teeth,” she once remarked.

, a special program from the National Children’s Oral Health Foundation (NCOHF), was designed to help teens like Micah that desperately need dental care.  Through this innovative program sponsored by the Patterson Foundation, volunteer dentists provide pro bono services to promising at-risk teens in their community, restoring their self-esteem and encouraging them to take responsibility for their oral health. 

 volunteer dentists also have access to generously donated products from Invisalign

 by sharing their newfound oral health knowledge through interactive oral health lessons with younger children in their community.Tooth decay is the #1 chronic childhood disease and it has reached epidemic proportions. Millions suffer in pain so severe, it inhibits their ability to eat, sleep and learn. Better access to oral health education can drastically reduce tooth decay as well as the financial and societal costs that result, which is why your support of this program is so important.

As you know, poor oral health can be devastating for an adolescent struggling to fit in and prepare for a successful future. Studies show that children with dental pain may be irritable, withdrawn, or unable to concentrate. This pain can affect test performance as well as school attendance. Suffering from the pain and embarrassment of her ugly smile, Micah lacked confidence and hope for a happy, successful future.

Her teacher and mentor at her local Alabama Boys & Girls Club had known Micah for several years and knew that she needed help. Micah was a bright student and worked well with all the children at the club, so her teacher reached out to the 

 teen, Micah no longer cries herself to sleep worrying about being ridiculed the following day.  Thanks to the generosity of Dawson Academy dentist, Dr. Keith Calvert, she is currently receiving life-changing dental care, and soon will have a restored smile and renewed confidence.  The individual who recommended Micah for the program commented, “Thank you seems so inadequate.  

 has changed her life.”  In fact, Micah was just named 

With hope and excitement about her future, Micah has this to say this about her career goals and wanting to become a teacher, “I can’t wait to have my teeth fixed so that people can hear what I say instead of being distracted by my teeth”.

Help transform a teen’s needless pain and suffering into a happy, beautiful smile and the promise of a brighter future by volunteering for 

to learn more about this life-changing program!

Restore teenage smiles: No more bullying

	With February being recognized as National Children’s Dental Health Month, this is a good time each year to raise awareness of the importance of good oral health in kids. But it’s also a good time to recognize achievements like those accomplished by the National Children’s Oral Health Foundation.

	In 2006, NCOHF: America’s Toothfairy, was established by concerned industry professionals with a shared mission of eliminating pediatric dental disease and ensuring all children have access to quality oral healthcare. Working through an Affiliate network of nonprofit dental clinics, community health centers, mobile care units and university dental programs, the Foundation delivers innovative education, prevention, and treatment resources to children from our nation’s most vulnerable populations. Today, less than four years since inception, this growing national NCOHF Affiliate network has touched the lives of more than 1 million children in need of comprehensive care.

	Unwavering support from the dental industry’s largest companies has allowed NCOHF to provide affiliates with more than $5.5 million in donated product and direct financial grants. This corporate generosity also translates into local Affiliate programs expanding and enhancing critical oral health services in an aggressive response to the oral health epidemic. “We have grown tremendously since we became involved with NCOHF,” said Jeffrey Parker, CEO of Sarrell Dental Centers, an NCOHF affiliate. “We had over 35,000 patient treatments in 2008 and…more than 50,000 in 2009. We sincerely appreciate NCOHF’s support in helping us reach Alabama’s [underserved] children.”

	Judi Rose, Vice President of an affiliate in North Hollywood and hailed NCOHF as “a significant partner with Valley Community Clinic in fighting to reduce childhood caries and periodontal disease in hundreds and perhaps very soon, thousands of young children.”

	More than vital treatment services, however, affiliates offer a compassionate approach to care that is especially appreciated by the underserved families who visit these clinics. Adolfo and Elva Lopez began bringing their family to The Children’s Dental Center (TCDC), a Los Angeles-area NCOHF affiliate, after experiencing difficulty finding affordable dental care for their five children.

	“A doctor told us that TCDC was affordable and was becoming well known for the service,” explained Mr. Lopez. “We’ve been coming here ever since. We can afford to bring the kids here and still receive really good quality of service. The people here are great, very helpful and always answer our questions. They make us feel very comfortable and the doctors are really patient with the kids.” The Lopez’s son Joel added, “I like coming here because it’s fun. The doctor is always careful and let’s me know what he’s going to do next.”

	Dr. Ronald Goldstein, a longtime cosmetic dentist in Atlanta, has always gone out of his way to assist patients in need, including those who often could not afford the cost of their treatments. Additionally, he became a big supporter of NCOHF’s Tomorrow’s SMILES, a program aimed at high school students that provides oral health services to help promising at-risk students be better prepared for happy, healthy and productive futures.

	“Tomorrow’s SMILES was set up to help deserving teens who need, but cannot afford a great smile,” he said. “It means so much to them to be able to not be discriminated against by their classmates because of the way their teeth look...and many do not smile anymore.”

	NCOHF also established important organizational partnerships in order to provide communities across the country access to the same innovative oral health programs available in areas with an NCOHF affiliate facility. Renowned professional groups such as Alpha Omega International Dental Fraternity, Scottsdale Center for Dentistry and The Pankey Institute are encouraging members to embrace the mission of NCOHF by giving back to their community through smile-saving volunteer programs. Dental professionals have the opportunity to change the oral health landscape in their own backyard when they open their practice to underserved children and provide pro bono care through either the America’s Toothfairy Dental Home or Tomorrow’s SMILES program.

	Innovative partnerships, outstanding corporate support and a growing network of comprehensive Affiliate healthcare facilities have quickly established NCOHF as a leader in the fight to ensure all children have access to the quality oral healthcare they deserve. While more than 1 million children have been fortunate to receive life-changing services through NCOHF programs, on any given day 4 million American children are experiencing such severe pain from pediatric dental disease they have trouble eating, sleeping and learning.

	Fern Ingber, NCOHF President and CEO, expressed her confidence in growing to reach all children who still wait for basic care. “We started with only the visionary commitment of a small group of incredible clinical, corporate and academic leaders,” she said. “Many more caring corporations and individuals are now generously giving their talents and other resources. Who knows what we’ll be able to accomplish in another three or six years if more people will help America’s Toothfairy spread her wings?”

	For more information on the programs and services of National Children’s Oral Health Foundation, visit

 With February being recognized as National Children’s Dental Health Month, this is a good time each year to raise awareness of the importance of good oral health in kids. But it’s also a good time to recognize achievements like those accomplished by the National Children’s Oral Health Foundation.

NCOHF reaches 1 million children

This is the story about Zeb, a promising Brooklyn high school student who privately suffered pain and embarrassment stemming from the effects of poor oral health. He was afraid to smile when asked to “say cheese” for a camera and dreaded meeting new people, fearing ridicule once they saw his unsightly smile.

Struggling with this throughout his life, he was self-conscious and afraid to be himself in a large crowd. Unable to afford necessary dental treatment, his hopes for achieving his dreams withered as he wondered how he would he could succeed when he was too ashamed to smile confidently in an interview. 

A bright student, Zeb showed great promise, but his damaged self-esteem and shaken confidence were holding him back. He was 

 judging himself and wished more than anything he could smile with confidence. Zeb and his mom did not have the resources to get the dental treatment he so desperately needed, so they turned to 

,a teen program of the National Children’s Oral Health Foundation: 

Poor oral health can be devastating for an adolescent struggling to fit in and prepare for a successful future. Zeb is not alone in this struggle. More than 51 million school hours are missed each year from dental disease. While they are in school, many suffering teens are distracted by pain and embarrassment, causing poor academic and social development.  Even more disturbing are the effects this can have on their future. Their struggles of today can shatter their hopes and dreams for their future. Every day, more than 1,200 adolescents abandon high school education and, in many cases, give up on themselves.

was designed to give teens like Zeb the building blocks they need for healthy, productive futures by providing them with life-changing oral health services. Through this innovative program sponsored by the Patterson Foundation, volunteer dental practitioners provide pro bono services to promising at-risk teens in their community, restoring their self-esteem and encouraging them to take responsibility for their oral health. Volunteer dentists participating in 

 have access to generously donated products from 

 by sharing their newfound oral health knowledge through interactive oral health lessons with younger children in their community. 

enables these teens to serve as mentors and teachers to children, encouraging good oral health habits that will help them maintain beautiful, happy smiles throughout their lives and help to break the cycle of pediatric dental disease in their own community. As a teen mentor, Zeb had the opportunity to share valuable knowledge and promote good oral health habits with children in his community. The children enjoyed the experience so much they asked him to teach the lessons again!

 dentists like Dr. Anthony Ramirez truly make a difference in the young lives they touch. “I really want them to understand how much of an impact they have had on my life. Without their help, I would not be the person I am today, with the confidence to take on any challenge,” Zeb stated about Dr. Anthony Ramirez and his team. 

Zeb is now attending his first year of college on a full scholarship. 

“I have been blessed with an incredible gift,” remarked Zeb about his restored, beautiful smile and renewed hope for a future filled with possibilities ahead.

You can help transform a teen’s needless pain and suffering into a happy, beautiful smile and the promise of a brighter future by volunteering for Tomorrow’s SMILES.  To learn more about Tomorrow’s SMILES, visit 

to volunteer for this smile-saving, life-changing program!