Smile for a Lifetime
National Newsletter
Fall 2009
President’s Message
Times are very exciting for Smile for a
Lifetime, as we are approaching the
one-year mark of helping underserved
children. With over 40 chapters in 27
states, Smile for a Lifetime will donate
over 2.2 million dollars in orthodontic
value in the coming twelve months.
And the excitement doesn’t stop there! Smile for a Lifetime is
proud to announce our partnership with the leading online health
communications company. TeleVox has become the communications
partner of Smile for a Lifetime (S4L). TeleVox Software, Inc. is a
technology-centered company based in Mobile, AL. Since 1992,
TeleVox has provided software communication applications to the
health care industry and other commercial markets. Today, TeleVox
counts more than 12,000 practices, clinics, hospitals, organizations
and businesses as clients. The software solutions cover a broad
range of messaging and communication applications, all designed
to improve doctor-patient and business-customer communication.
With the help of TeleVox, Smile for a Lifetime will be able to
communicate our cause helping underserved children receive
the “Gift of Smiles” through our orthodontic scholarships. We are
excited to have TeleVox share our vision in this great endeavor.
by Dr. David Carter
Our rapid growth has been incredible, and we expect it to grow at
an enormous rate due to this partnership.
TeleVox is the perfect communications partner to help us reach
more orthodontists and more communities. Smile for a Lifetime
offers many resources to help serve your community, and build
awareness of your practice. Most all orthodontists offer pro bono
work, but through each local chapter, orthodontists will be able to
put a “name and face” on these cases. Making the public aware
that there is “hope” for those less fortunate needing orthodontic
treatment is an awesome endeavor. And getting the community
behind this “gift” will reap tremendous goodwill for the practice.
It is truly a win/grin/win situation!
Within weeks, the www.S4L.org Web site will be rebuilt and
become a dynamic resource to orthodontist and staff as well as
other interested parties. Chapter members will have access to our
protected area of the Web site and a protected bulletin board type
format that allows chapters to share ideas, and to communicate
with ease.
Have a great day!
David B. Carter, DMD
National President, Smile For A Lifetime Foundation
www.S4L.org
At Smile for a Lifetime Foundation it is our mission to create self-confidence,
inspire hope, and change the lives of children in our community in a dramatic
way. The gift of a smile can do all this for a deserving, under-served individual
who, in turn, can use this gift to better themselves and our community.
Sammy Cowgill of Pocahontas, Arkansas
is all smiles...and for good reasons!
Sammy was chosen to receive free braces
from Smile for a Lifetime in December 2008.
The Secretary from his Junior High School,
Suzanne Chester, nominated Sammy. She
described Sammy as “a unique, determined young man. For three years, he rode his bicycle to football
practice with the Pocahontas Redskins to carry water to the team during practices and games. He came
for practices when the temperatures were as hot as 102 degrees and finished in the cold on November. He
makes good grades and strives for perfect school attendance. He is rich in friends and teammates.”
After receiving free braces, Sammy’s Mom stated, “it felt like a dream come true. I am overjoyed that this
foundation would make Sammy’s dream of having braces come true.” And, almost one year later…we find
Sammy still in braces and thriving.
Sammy’s advocate, Suzanne Chester, wrote to Smile for a Lifetime on September 28th of this year to give
us an update:
“I just wanted to share with you what a difference Smile for a Lifetime has made in the life of Sam Cowgill.
Sam’s self-confidence has increased above our greatest expectations.
Sam participated this past weekend in a 5K citywide run for the American Cancer Society. Sam was the
overall winner and is considered the fastest man in the city! Of course, he was smiling from ear to ear when
the medal was placed around his neck.
Because of his distance running ability, Sam has left the football team and is focusing totally on his track. He
is now the Indian Chief mascot for the Pocahontas Redskins and delights the crowd every Friday night.
Most important to me, Sam became a Christian in June and is attending the Sutton Free Will Baptist Church.
He delivered the message last night at the youth services. There was not a dry eye in the congregation as
he delivered his testimony and message.
I am enclosing Sam’s progress report for this nine weeks. We are smiling with him over these grades!”
!
y
m
m
a
S
o
Way to g
OrthoEssentials values the contribution that Smile For A Lifetime makes to our
communities. We are pleased to offer 3% of every order that you place with us
to the foundation. We offer the exact same items the larger companies offer,
but we are less expensive. Save money and help the foundation!
The monies that OrthoEssentials are donating will be kept at your local chapter
level, not sent into the national office of Smile for a Lifetime. So, don’t forget
to mention your involvement with Smile for a Lifetime.
YOUR NATIONAL
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Discovery Box, an Arizona publishing company with specialty cookbooks for
orthodontic patients, has collaborated with Smile for a Lifetime to supply lifestyle
information to S4L orthodontic scholarship recipients. The company has pledged
to donate twelve copies of The Braces Cookbook: Recipes You (and Your
Orthodontist) Will Love per year to each orthodontic practice that has committed
to providing this special dental care, and has already shipped more than four hundred.
Publisher Pamela Waterman says, “We’re happy to support the professionals who
are making this terrific contribution to the health of hundreds of teens. It’s also great
that the teens will give back to their own communities.” The Braces Cookbook offers
stay-soft recipes as well as tips and trivia about oral hygiene to help teens and their
families make orthodontic treatment a positive experience.
Our Board Members are as diverse
as the communities we serve; however,
leadership and passion for community
improvements are characteristics they
all share.
Dr. David B. Carter
President
Teresa D. Gast, CPA
Treasurer/Secretary
Dr. Mark L. Dake
Roger Hill
Kim Jenkins
www.BracesCookbook.com
S. Richard Levin, Esq.
“ Starting our chapter of Smile for a Lifetime is one of the best
decisions we have made as a practice. It is a wonderful and organized
way to give back to the community that we serve. There are so many
children in our own communities who have very little. As more and
more communities and doctors come aboard, the potential to help
thousands of children every year is phenomenal. To us it may seem
like very little to provide complimentary orthodontic treatment to
one or two children a month, but to the child and their family it is
something in life you cannot put a price on.”
--Dr. Nick Savastano,
Founder and Orthodontic Provider,
S4L, Central Florida
Leeann Peniche
Dr. W. Ronald Redmond
Allison White
NATIONAL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Aimee Spencer
P.O. Box 17085
Jonesboro, AR 72403
[email protected]