Gregory Valeriano, DDS, of Valeriano Orthodontics in Charlotte, NC, will provide 20 Charlotte residents younger than 21 with free braces and orthodontic care this year as part of the Smile for a Lifetime charity.
The 3-year-old charitable nonprofit organization operates in 30 U.S. states, providing free orthodontic care to children and young adults in need of assistance, according to a story in the Charlotte Observer. Each Smile for a Lifetime chapter has a board of directors that goes through the applications and chooses patients to be treated.
Dr. Valeriano will place braces, provide adjustment visits on a regular schedule, and place retainers when the patient is finished -- all at no cost. This amounts to more than $100,000 in care, the story noted.
"I wanted to donate more orthodontic care to the underserved children of our community. Smile for a Lifetime gives us a method to find these children and select those who are most deserving," Dr. Valeriano told the Observer.
