Alliance for Smiles is a wonderful organization helping children throughout the world. Several of our staff annually travel abroad offering their expertise and time to this worthy cause.

As you might know, several of our staff at Oral Health Care Professionals, LLC are very involved with AFS. Click HERE and HERE for two .pdf photostories from Linda and Mary's AFS mission trip to Ghana, Africa in April 2010.

Please visit www.allianceforsmiles.org for more information. The following excerpts are taken directly from the organization's website.

Our Mission Statement

To repair children's broken smiles, establish cleft treatment centers, and foster ancillary humanitarian projects in under-served areas of world through international collaboration among medical and non-medical volunteers and corporate and individual sponsors.

Medical Missions

Alliance for Smiles organizes and sends surgical teams to sites for two week missions. A surgical team is comprised of approximately 20 volunteer plastic surgeons, anesthesiologists, pediatricians, nurses and dentists. They are supported by 10 non-medical volunteers. During a mission, 80 to 120 under-served children receive surgery for cleft lip & palate anomalies. The AfS team works side-by-side with local medical practitioners to exchange ideas on proper medical techniques and procedures, as well as provide follow-up care.

Development of Cleft Centers

Alliance for Smiles also helps to establish and maintain permanent centers to provide follow-up treatment and continuing care to children who have received surgery. The objectives and activities of the centers include dental treatment, speech therapy, parental education and psychological counseling.

Please visit www.allianceforsmiles.org for further information.