Discover the Difference

Most people visit a dental clinic once every six months. This is an important cycle to maintain the health in our communities. When families, especially with children, regularly miss these visits, doctors must do their best to expand their services. At Smile with a Heart, this is our conclusion.

Despite increasing standards in oral health, disparities in access to quality oral healthcare remains a nationwide challenge. Children who grow up without adequate oral healthcare will spend a lifetime overcoming an unhealthy mouth. The strong link between oral health and overall health only increases our need to address this issue. Dentists who see their patients regularly can analyze overall health and recommend a visit to a physician when needed. A child deserves to have their health symptoms addressed with immediate medical attention. We want to do our best to make sure they have a healthy start in life.

Smile with a Heart has found that many children regularly miss their dental appointments, and fall off the cycle of visiting a dentist at least once every year. In the worst cases, some children have never seen a dentist. Statistics show us that a strong majority of these children miss because they are uninsured. We want every child to see a dentist annually regardless of the ability to pay.

Our compassion leads us to recognize those who cannot receive the oral care they need, and our action is to bring it to them.

• Nearly 25% of U.S. children live in poverty.
• 1 in 5 U.S. children go without dental care.
• 23% of children 2 to 11 have never been to the dentist.
• Almost half of all young children, age 2 to 5, have never been to the dentist.
• More than 40% of children have dental cavities by the time they reach kindergarten.
• Dental Care is the most prevalent unmet health care need for children with special needs.

When action meets compassion, lives change.