Generous orthodontists are giving back to children who cannot afford orthodontic treatment via the Give a Smile program.
It goes without saying that a person’s smile is one of the first things you notice about them. But, as all dental practitioners will attest, an attractive smile goes far beyond aesthetics. “There are many tangible psychosocial benefits that come with having straight teeth and a beautiful smile,” says Dr Howard Holmes, current West Australian branch President of the Australian Society of Orthodontists (ASO).
“There is no doubt that having a nice, straight smile can make a huge difference to self-esteem and confidence, which in turn positively impacts on social relationships and future life opportunities – and of course, there are obvious dental health and functional benefits that accompany the correction of serious malocclusions.”
The Give a Smile initiative
Back in 2005, the then President of the ASO, Dr Ted Crawford, established the Give a Smile program as the charitable arm of the ASO. This initiative allows ASO Orthodontists an opportunity to give back by providing pro bono orthodontic treatment in their private practices for children whose families would otherwise not be able to afford it.
Children and teens who are on the public health orthodontic waitlist are potentially eligible for treatment through the program. They must have a parent who is a Health Care Card holder or a Pension Card holder to qualify. In WA, potential candidates are carefully screened through the Oral Health Centre of Western Australia (OHCWA) Orthodontic Department. Suitable patients are then allocated to a participating ASO Give a Smile orthodontist for pro bono treatment within their practice. A small co-payment is made by the family to OHCWA for administration purposes.
Great generosity
Howard says since the program’s inception, more than 2500 patients have been treated nationally, with over 400 of those patients from WA. “When you look at those numbers and calculate what would have normally been charged if all those patients were treated within the private practice setting, it works out that so far over $20 million worth of orthodontic treatment has been provided at no cost to those who desperately need it but simply can’t afford it.”
“More importantly, this has significantly reduced the burden on the public dental health system by removing 2500 patients from the long waiting lists for orthodontic treatment,” he adds.
Howard, who has been involved in the Give a Smile program since its inception 18 years ago, says being part of the program is a very rewarding experience. “I have been allocated at least one patient every year through the program, and from my experience, patients and their family are extremely appreciative when they realise they are being looked after in exactly the same way as any other kid in the clinic but are actually receiving their treatment free of charge,” he says. “Often, even staff members in the practice will not know which patients are Give a Smile patients – they are all treated to the same high standard.”
Howard adds that orthodontists have the opportunity to self-screen patients at their own practices for the program.
“As well as having Give a Smile patients allocated through OHCWA, we can also identify patients in our own clinic who we believe would be worthy of receiving complimentary treatment, and can nominate them for the program,” he says. “I have had a few over the years. You can tell a kid really wants treatment and is highly motivated, but you can also see the parents are struggling from a financial point of view. Sometimes, it is obvious from their first appointment that they would be a perfect candidate for the Give a Smile program. Nominating them is a real gift and exceptionally gratifying for all involved.”
“Likewise, if a general dentist has a young orthodontic patient that they believe is needy but may not fit into the OHCWA system, they could identify the patient as being a potential Give a Smile candidate to the ASO orthodontist they were referring to,” Howard adds.
Howard says most local ASO member orthodontists are already involved in the Give a Smile program, and for those that aren’t, it is as simple as talking to the local Give a Smile state representative to get signed up.
The Give a Smile program is transforming lives, one smile at a time. To learn more visit orthodonticsaustralia.org.au/give-a-smile/
Erin was 12-years-old when she was accepted into the Give a Smile program and had her first assessment with Dr Kevin Murphy. Prior to treatment, Erin was shy and was reluctant to smile. She suffered from a severe Class 2 malocclusion, which caused her teeth to protrude outside her mouth.
Erin’s treatment took a little over two years to complete and included maxillary expansion appliances to widen her top jaw, as well as full fixed appliances for the latter part of her treatment. As with all treatments, the orthodontist spent many hours of specialised care with Erin to give her a lovely, even smile and a healthy bite. Dr Murphy and his staff were delighted to see the difference in Erin as the treatment progressed.
“I know I speak for my staff when I say we are very fortunate and appreciative in our work, to have the opportunity to make our patients’ lives even brighter.”
Following her treatment, Erin regained her confidence and began to smile again.
(Source: orthodonticsaustralia.org.au)
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