The Smile for a Lifetime Foundation (S4L), which provides orthodontic care and free braces to underserved children, has joined the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) to find applicants for their orthodontic scholarship programs.
Through the partnership, young people who are served by the 4,000 community-based BGCAs will have the opportunity to learn about S4L and apply for its orthodontic treatment scholarships, the organizations noted in a press release.
S4L was founded in 2008 by Benjamin Burris, DDS, to link children and teens of low-income families with pro-bono orthodontic scholarships. Since its inception, the foundation has treated more than 800 children who could not afford braces and has grown to an international nonprofit organization that currently serves more than 108 chapters in 38 states and Canada.
Local orthodontists form S4L chapters in the communities they serve and individually treat six or more young people annually. S4L scholarships are funded through local orthodontists and primary sponsor Ormco, which provides the braces used for treating S4L scholarship recipients.
