Mission Statement
At Smile for a Lifetime, our mission is to restore confidence, inspire hope, and create opportunity through orthodontic care. We believe no child should hide their smile because of financial hardship or life circumstances. Through the generosity of volunteer orthodontic professionals and industry partners, we provide life-changing orthodontic care to children in foster care and low-income families, helping them build the confidence to fully engage in life and believe in their future.
Why we exist
Every Smile Begins With Someone Who Cares
For thousands of children, orthodontic treatment is financially out of reach. Without treatment, many struggle with confidence, self-esteem, and opportunities that begin with a smile.
Smile for a Lifetime exists to change that.
Through the generosity of volunteer orthodontists across the United States and Canada, children receive life-changing orthodontic treatment at no cost to their families. We’re not simply providing braces—we’re restoring confidence, creating opportunity, and changing lives through orthodontic care.
A confident smile can change the course of a child’s life.
At Smile for a Lifetime, we believe orthodontic care is about far more than straight teeth—it is about confidence, self-esteem, emotional well-being, and opportunity. For many children living in poverty or foster care, poor dental appearance can lead to embarrassment, social isolation, and appearance-based bullying during some of the most important developmental years of their lives.
Founded by a dedicated group of orthodontists and dental professionals, Smile for a Lifetime was created to ensure that financial hardship would not prevent a child from receiving life-changing orthodontic care. Today, the organization has grown into a national network of volunteer orthodontic providers and industry partners committed to restoring confidence and transforming lives.
Through our program, children receive orthodontic care from caring professionals who donate their services to help create brighter futures. Beyond improving oral health, treatment often helps children smile openly for the first time, participate more confidently in school and social activities, and develop a stronger sense of self-worth.
Many families share that the transformation extends far beyond the smile itself—it changes how a child sees themselves and how they engage with the world around them.
Contact Us
Smile for a Lifetime has participating orthodontists across the United States. If you are interested in applying for assistance, please click on the How To Apply icon above, and S4L will begin searching for a provider in your area.
National Headquarters
Smile for a Lifetime Foundation
6547 North Academy Blvd. #304
Colorado Springs, CO. 80918
Fax: (719) 312-6000
E-mail: Info@SmileForALifetime.org
