(BPT) - A smile is universal. No matter your age or geography, the act of smiling is positive, uplifting and unifying. Now, when you submit a photo of your smile, you can help an important nonprofit achieve a world record of the largest online photo album of smiling mouths.
Smile Train, the world's largest cleft-focused organization, is looking to make history by setting a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for the largest online photo album of smiling mouths. Once the record is set, Dentsply Sirona, the world's largest manufacturer of dental products and technologies, and a Smile Train partner, will make a cash donation to Smile Train on World Smile Day®.
Why is this effort so important?
Cleft lip and cleft palate are common birth conditions that occur when a baby's lip or mouth do not form properly during pregnancy. Cleft-affected children have difficulty with eating, breathing, hearing and speaking. Clefts can even lead to malnutrition and death. Children with clefts are regularly harassed and bullied so much for the way they look and speak that they are often forced to drop out of school for their own safety.
Fortunately, there is a solution. Smile Train partners with local health care professionals around the world to provide free surgery and comprehensive cleft care, including nutrition, speech therapy, psychosocial support, dental services and more. Since its inception in 1999, Smile Train has supported more than 1.5 million free cleft surgeries worldwide.
'We're passionate about smiles because we know what a serious business they are. As an organization that supports free cleft surgeries and comprehensive cleft care, including oral health care, we are embarking on a global effort to honor all smiles by setting a world record,' said Susannah Schaefer, president and CEO of Smile Train.
Your smile can make a difference
The GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title attempt is currently running until World Smile Day® on October 6, 2023. In all, 20,000 images of smiling mouths need to be uploaded to the online photo album.
Samantha Hanratty, star of Showtime's Yellowjackets and Smile Train Celebrity Ambassador, is sharing her smile in support of the campaign. 'I'm proud to partner with Smile Train on this global, and hopefully record-setting, effort,' she said.
Anyone over the age of 13 can participate, and it's simple to do by following these three easy steps:
- Go to EverySmile.org.
- Click on 'I want to make history'
- Take and upload a clear and well-lit photo of yourself smiling (just follow the guide provided)
The campaign launch coincides with National Cleft and Craniofacial Awareness and Prevention Month in July.
'This is another opportunity to raise awareness, support and celebrate people born with a facial difference. We strive to give every child with a cleft the opportunity to smile and lead a full and happy life by empowering medical professionals with training, funding and resources to provide free cleft surgery and comprehensive cleft care to children globally,' Schaefer added.
Will you help them reach their goal so they can help even more kids? The cash donation from Dentsply Sirona will support Smile Train's vision of a world where every person has access to high-quality comprehensive cleft care and is able to live a full and healthy life.
'We are proud to help shine a light on the important work that Smile Train does to help children and all people with clefts around the world,' said Erania Brackett, senior vice president, Orthodontic Aligner Solutions & Customer Experience and head of Sustainability at Dentsply Sirona.
