Dr. Jamie Reynolds of Spillane and Reynolds Orthodontics, with offices in Novi and Rochester, Michigan, is donating braces to kids in his community through the nonprofit Smiles Change Lives. On October 5, 2019, he will be holding a screening day to screen all the children in the Detroit area that are waiting to receive braces through this nonprofit program.
Smiles Change Lives is a national nonprofit that helps kids get braces who could not otherwise afford them. On average, braces cost $6,000 per child, making them out of reach for many hard working families. Further, orthodontic treatment has long been considered cosmetic by insurance companies, providing little assistance, even for those that are insured. As a result, many children and teens suffer unnecessary discomfort and embarrassment from their misaligned teeth. Smiles Change Lives’ mission is to provide these families with the opportunity to provide their children with braces through its network of more than 800 volunteer orthodontists in the United States and Canada.
Dr. Reynolds has been treating kids through Smiles Change Lives since 2016. This is not the first time he has gone above and beyond to help kids in his community. On average, Dr. Reynolds donates orthodontic treatment to 8 kids per year through Smiles Change Lives. With approximately 100 kids on the waiting list to be treated through the Smiles Change Lives program, Dr. Reynolds has committed to help clear out the wait list by agreeing to treat at least 50 qualified children, which is approximately $300,000 in donated services.
“The demand for our program in the greater Detroit area has far exceeded the number of orthodontists we have in our network,” stated Alexis Barclay, director of provider services for Smiles Change Lives. “Dr. Reynold’s dedication to treat at least 50 of the children waiting to receive braces is truly life changing for these kids.”
In the words of a mother whose daughter recently completed treatment, “On behalf of myself and daughter, please accept our deepest thanks for a life changing experience for my daughter. She smiles all the time now and has a sense of confidence I've never seen before. To everyone responsible, please know that you have helped another child regain a huge part of herself back. She may go on to change the world in a better way now; just like Smiles Change Lives did for her.”
To qualify for the program, a child must be between the ages of 7-21, have good oral hygiene, not be wearing braces currently, have a moderate to severe need for braces, and meet certain financial guidelines (e.g., for a family of 4, their household income must be below $61,500, however household income limit varies based upon family size; the financial requirement is waived for children in foster care). The family must also be willing to submit an application fee of $30, and if accepted for treatment, a program fee of $650. The full program guidelines can be reviewed at www.smileschangelives.org. Families interested in the event should contact info [at] smileschangelives [dot] org to learn more.
To date, Smiles Change Lives and its network of orthodontists have helped more than 13,000 kids receive braces in the United States and Canada.
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