Teeth whitening fees to go to charity

Cosmetic dentists will be donating their fees from teeth whitening to charity all next week.

The British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (BACD) is encouraging more than 800 member dental practices to carry out all teeth whitening treatments in aid of the Smiling for the World charity for a week, starting 19 May.

Any whitening treatment fees from that week will be donated in their entirety to Facing the World, a charity helping children from developing countries who are born with severe facial disfigurements.

The fundraiser coincides with National Smile Month – starting this Sinday (18 May) – that this year is running simultaneously in the UK and the US and is aimed at educating the public about good oral healthcare.

Last year, the BACD revealed that almost a third of all Britons believe cosmetic dentistry can ‘improve their quality of life’ and this new project finally allows them to give into vanity for a worthwhile cause.

Since teeth-whitening is one of the most popular cosmetic dentistry procedures, the BACD hopes their drive will not only encourage smiles from patients with brighter, whiter teeth, but also – through their donations – help put a smile on the face of disadvantaged children living with the stigma of facial disfigurement.

According to dentist and BACD Vice President, James Goolnik: ‘The BACD whitening programme is a collaborative effort between practitioners, manufacturers and patients to make a difference in the lives of children from developing countries who suffer from facial deformities.

‘As dentists we have the ability to affect the way people feel about themselves – and this project allows us to do it on a much grander scale.’

According to Sarah Driver-Jowitt, executive coordinator at Facing the World: ‘One in 200 children suffers from facial deformity, and one in 20,000 has a serious craniofacial condition.

‘At Facing the World we offer surgery to children from poor countries across the globe that have no other chance of finding help to overcome their disfigurement.

‘The Smiling for the World project could mean not only putting a smile on the face of one of these children – but possibly the difference between life and death.’

For further information on Smiling for the World and to find a participating dentist near you, visit www.bacd.com.

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