The Smile for a Lifetime (S4L) Foundation, Colorado Springs, Colo, announced that is has partnered with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America to find qualified applicants for S4L’s local orthodontic scholarship programs. Through S4L’s partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters, young people will have the opportunity to apply for orthodontic scholarships.

“Finances should never stop a child from achieving the dream of a straight smile, and S4L is committed to touching the lives of our youth by awarding thousands of orthodontic scholarships to deserving kids,” said S4L National Board President Dr Ronald Redmond. “Given our shared goal of fostering self-confidence among our nation’s youth, we believe our partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters is the perfect union for providing our nation’s young people with a brighter future.”

“The partnership with Smile for a Lifetime will provide additional opportunities to the kids who are mentored in our programs,” said Charleston Edwards, vice president of national events and sponsorships of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. “The majority of the kids we serve suffer from economic hardships in their households and oftentimes are challenged to be able to afford practical everyday needs. This creates emotional challenges, and this partnership will improve the odds of successful long-term outcomes of a child by building their confidence through a simple smile. We are thrilled to work with Smile for a Lifetime to open the doors for more children to see a dentist and receive free braces.”

S4L provides free braces to underserved children with financial challenges and special orthodontic needs. The organization receives support from Ormco Corp, which donates its orthodontic appliances to the program throughout the United States and Canada. During treatment, many S4L local chapters encourage scholarship recipients to participate in community service through a “pay it forward” program.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of America’s nearly 340 agencies offer children facing adversity professionally supported, one-to-one, mentoring relationships.