The 16 Best Opportunities for Dental Marketing through Charitable Contributions

Give Kids A Smile

ADA – Mission and Purpose

Since 2003, Give Kids A Smile (GKAS) has been providing oral health care to more than 6 million underserved children. Although GKAS day is celebrated on the first Friday of February, GKAS events are held throughout the year. The program was initiated in 2002 when Dr. Jeff Dalin and Dr. B. Ray Storm organized the first event in a dental clinic in St. Louis that was soon to be demolished. With only 15 chairs, they were able to provide dental care to 400 children. The following year, in 2003, the American Dental Association recognized the tremendous efforts of these two pioneering dentists and helped to develop the program into a nationwide philanthropic movement.

ADA – Becoming A Member and Getting Involved

If you are a dentist reading this, you are probably already a member of the ADA, which qualifies you to participate in the GKAS events. If you are not an ADA member, you can become one here.
To get involved in the GKAS movement, all you have to do is download the toolkit. The Toolkit includes registration information, planning guides, forms, waivers, and promotional materials.
The ADA invites all dentists who want to make a difference in the lives of children to get involved.

Give Back A Smile

AACD – Mission and Purpose

The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry Charitable Foundation (AACDCF) provides support programs and compassionate cosmetic dental services to help rebuild the smiles and lives of adults who have suffered dental injuries due to domestic and sexual violence.

Since its inception in 1999, the AACDCF has been able to restore the damaged smiles of over 1,800 people through the help of volunteer dentists, dental laboratories, and other dental professionals, providing a total dollar value of more than $17 million. Currently, there are about 100 people receiving smile restorations across the United States.

The AACDCF is committed to its core values that include integrity, generosity, peace, compassion, and compliance. They uphold the highest level of moral and ethical standards, respect the confidential nature of their GBAS patient work, and actively strive to protect program applicant information.

The foundation recognizes that their success depends on the generosity of their volunteers and supporters, and they foster a culture that honors and recognizes those who make their work possible. They believe that everyone deserves to live a life that is free of danger and violence, and while they work to heal the effects of domestic violence, they also strive to promote awareness about it in hopes of stopping it.

The AACDCF has a strong desire to provide their services in a caring and empathetic manner, actively working towards understanding what their program applicants have survived. They recognize that the organization operates in a regulated environment due to its tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, and are conscious of the need to comply with the constraints and obligations of that status.

AACD – Becoming A Member and Getting Involved

The Give Back a Smile (GBAS) program, run by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) Charitable Foundation, is designed to help adult survivors of domestic and/or sexual violence. The program connects these survivors with volunteer cosmetic dentists who generously donate their time and services to restore their smiles. Dental services are available throughout the United States, and since the program was created in 1999, over 1,800 individuals have benefited from it. If you’re interested in learning more about the GBAS program and how you can apply to be involved, please visit their website.

OCF – Mission and Purpose

The Oral Cancer Foundation has a two-fold mission: to improve the lives of oral cancer patients and to work towards better outcomes for the future. They achieve this by funding critical research, promoting early detection strategies, providing peer-to-peer support for patients and their caregivers, and disseminating trusted information about oral and oropharyngeal cancer.

Unfortunately, the incidence of oral and oropharyngeal cancers has been increasing for over a decade, and this trend is expected to continue in the absence of a national screening policy or protocol. Risk factors for the disease remain largely unchanged.

In the United States alone, approximately 54,000 people are diagnosed with oral cancer each year. This includes cancers that occur in the mouth itself (such as salivary gland cancers, tongue cancers, and mucosal soft tissue cancers), in the oropharynx (primarily tonsil and tonsillar crypt and base of tongue), and on the exterior lips of the mouth.

The Oral Cancer Foundation is a national public service and IRS-registered 501(c)3 head and neck cancer charity. Oral and oropharyngeal cancers are the largest group of cancers in the head and neck category and can go by various names, such as mouth cancer, tongue cancer, tonsil cancer, and throat cancer.

OCF – Becoming A Member and Getting Involved

Once you become a member of the OCF, there are several ways you can get involved:

• 1. Volunteering: The foundation heavily relies on the help and dedication of volunteers who selflessly donate their time. If you’re interested in volunteering, you can learn more by sending an email to volunteers@oralcancerfoundation.org.
• 2. Starting a Memorial Fund: Families and organizations who want to raise money for the oral cancer cause in memory of a friend or loved one, can set up special funds within the non-profit structure of The Oral Cancer Foundation. If you wish to establish a memorial fund for someone, please contact OCF’s Director, Brian Hill, at the foundation’s main number (949) 723-4400.
• 3. Becoming a Screening Partner: You can get involved as a screening partner by visiting this link.
• 4. Becoming a Corporate Sponsor: Corporate Sponsors are the backbone of the Oral Cancer Foundation, regularly donating more than 90% of all funds. OCF is aggressively seeking benevolent corporate sponsors for various initiatives. To get involved as a corporate sponsor, please contact the main office.

Americas ToothFairy

Americas ToothFairy – Mission and Purpose

Millions of children are unable to access dental services which leads to untreated tooth decay and other dental problems. These issues can have ongoing health consequences that could have been prevented with proper dental care. America’s ToothFairy is a resource provider that works towards increasing access to oral health care by supporting nonprofit clinics and community partners that offer education, prevention and treatment services for underserved children. The mission of America’s ToothFairy is to ensure that all children are able to access dental care and learn about oral health. Since its inception, America’s ToothFairy has raised more than $11 million for children in need.

Americas ToothFairy – Becoming A Member and Getting Involved

America’s ToothFairy is inviting you and your team to participate in various ways. You can join the Dental Resource Program (DRP), which offers support to nonprofit dental clinics and programs serving more than 500,000 children nationwide. DRP clinics have access to financial grants, dental products and equipment, educational materials, and community engagement.

You can also participate in the In The GAP Program, which provides grants to patients who have insufficient dental coverage for services that cost more than their family can afford. These grants are limited to Dental Resource Program clinics, and DRP members will be notified by email when grant cycles are open.

The Special Kids Program is another opportunity to support the cause. It assists children with physical, intellectual, and developmental disabilities, who face additional challenges in maintaining oral health and accessing care. This program is made possible thanks to the financial assistance of donors.

If you want to contribute, you can visit the Shop For Good online store, which offers an array of sweatshirts and t-shirts. All proceeds from the sales go towards supporting the cause.

Finally, dental practices can purchase supplies and materials through Products With A Cause, and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the America’s ToothFairy mission.

Patterson Foundation = Mission and Purpose

The Patterson Foundation aims to make a meaningful impact on their employees, industries and underserved communities, particularly those in need of oral health care. They provide support to non-profit organizations through quarterly grants, helping them provide essential dental services and youth leadership programs. Additionally, the foundation runs the Dollars for Doers program, which donates $100 to the organization where a Patterson employee volunteers.

The foundation also awards scholarships to eligible dependents of Patterson employees in the U.S., U.K. and Canada. This program supports students with the cost of post-secondary education at an accredited two- or four-year college or vocational/technical school, ultimately strengthening future generations.

Since the foundation’s inception, they have granted more than $16 million, awarded nearly 500 scholarships, and donated over $72,000 to the Dollars for Doers program.

Patterson Foundation – Becoming A Member and Getting Involved

Patterson’s Dollars for Doers program was introduced in 2019. The program donates $100 to a non-profit organization when two or more Patterson employees volunteer their time. Volunteering opportunities include in-person and virtual volunteering, chaperoning at schools, participating in a 5K, donating items for a drive, serving on a board of directors, event coordination, and skills-based activities like web design, accounting, consulting and more. You can join a work friend and volunteer to make money for your favorite charity.

In addition, Patterson holds various fundraising events to raise funds for the Foundation, such as their annual golf tournament and ImpACT Dash 5K.

Anyone can support the Patterson Foundation’s work in their communities with a donation. Your contributions, along with the generous donors who created the Patterson Foundation, help the Foundation to do even more to assist those in need in our communities.

Treats for Troops

Soldiers Angels – Mission and Purpose

Military service involves dedicating oneself fully to a cause greater than one’s own self, selflessly bearing the responsibility for the safety and security of everything we cherish in the United States. The purpose of Soldiers’ Angels is to honor that commitment by providing assistance, comfort and resources to military personnel, veterans and their families.

Soldiers’ Angels has a global network of volunteers representing all 50 states, Washington DC and 31 countries overseas. These volunteers work tirelessly to support, uplift, and remember those who have served or are serving through a variety of support programs.

Soldiers Angels – Becoming A Member and Getting Involved

Soldier’s Angels provides dental practices with both virtual and in-person volunteering opportunities as well as food distribution and special campaigns.

Smiles For Everyone Foundation – Mission and Purpose

The Smiles for Everyone Foundation has a simple but powerful mission: to deliver smiles to everyone by providing free dental care to those in need, both in the United States and around the world. The foundation was established in 2011 and has since helped more than 40,000 people in seven countries, providing over $30 million in donated dentistry services.

This mission grew from Smile Brands Inc.’s philosophy of delivering “Smiles for Everyone,” which includes patients, affiliated providers and employees, as well as the community. The foundation brings this philosophy to life by providing pro bono dental services to underserved communities around the world, giving back in a way that only dentists can.

Smiles For Everyone Foundation – Becoming A Member and Getting Involved

To get involved, you can become a sponsor or participate in various Smile Projects. These projects are divided into two categories: Community and International Smile Projects. You can choose from a variety of project initiatives such as:

• 1. Days of Giving: Volunteers from various Smile Brands markets come together at a central office to provide basic dental services for pre-qualified individuals in need from their local community. Patients are referred to a Day of Giving through partnerships with non-profit organizations in the local community. To ensure a more dignified experience for patients, all patients schedule their appointments in advance.
• 2. Smile Makeovers: Smile Brands affiliated providers and support staff offer extensive dental services to select individuals in need from their local community. These patients are often identified at a Day of Giving as someone needing services that cannot be completed at a Day of Giving.
• 3. Implanting Inspiration: In partnership with Smile Brands Inc., Implant Direct and DDS Lab, select patients in need receive dental implants free of charge.

So if you want to make a difference, choose a project initiative and get involved!

Charitable Smiles – Mission and Purpose

Charitable Smiles is a non-profit organization that aims to help as many people as possible. They do not limit their assistance to any specific area or dental specialty, as they believe that such a strategy would be counterproductive. Instead, they collaborate with every dental specialty in the industry to provide the best possible care to their patients.

Charitable Smiles has an efficient charity model that involves partnering with practicing dental clinics and dentists to facilitate cause-related dentistry. This model ensures that no money is wasted on infrastructure, allowing the organization to allocate more resources to its charitable mission.

In the past, dentists who wanted to participate in charity dentistry had to write off the full cost of expenses associated with a treatment. However, Charitable Smiles has changed that by allowing dentists to volunteer chair time to their patients. This helps reduce the cost of treatment and makes it easier for more people to receive the dental care they need.

Charitable Smiles – Becoming A Member and Getting Involved

Charitable opportunities include two options:

• 1. Partnerships: Dentists can donate chair time to provide dental services to those in need. If you are interested in this option, please reach out to the charity directly.
• 2. Donations: Every one million dollars raised can serve approximately 7,200 patients.