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Washington orthodontist Dr. Kevin Walde partners with a nonprofit foundation, Smile for a Lifetime, that awards scholarships to kids most in need of braces. Dr. Walde got involved with Smile for a Lifetime in 2009 and he now runs a local Missouri chapter, Show Me Smiles, of Smile for a Lifetime. He organized a board of directors made up of local professionals who are able to choose the patients treated by the foundation.
Dr. Walde's Show Me Smiles Chapter was chosen "Chapter of the Year" for 2010 by the National Board of Directors of the Smiles for a Lifetime Foundation.
Show Me Smiles is currently accepting applications for its orthodontic scholarships. Applications are accepted all year but recipients are selected twice a year in May and November. There are up to twelve "orthodontic scholarships" awarded each year (one per month). The deadline for submission of applications to be considered in May is April 30 and November is October 31.
How to Apply
There are several ways to get an application for a Show Me Smiles scholarship - download it the packet by clicking here or on the "Smile for a Lifetime" image at the bottom of this page, stopping by the office in Washington to pick one up or calling 636-239-5151 and having an application mailed to you.
The application asks for the first two pages of the family's previous year's tax return, a 5 by 7 head shot photo of the applicant with a full smile, teeth showing, and two letters of recommendation from nonfamily members. These can be from a school counselor, teacher, minister, dentist, etc.
There also is a section asking why the applicant is an "excellent choice" for Smile for a Lifetime. The space provided for that isn't large, maybe a quarter of a page, and the answer is supposed to be limited to that space.
The age of the applicant is important, said Dr. Walde, noting middle school students and teenagers will be given the most consideration. The guidelines limit the age of the applicants to 18, he said, but the board may wave that if there aren't enough applicants from people under 18 to fill the 12 slots each year.
"We want to help the most underserved," said Debbie Walde. "Those who couldn't otherwise have an opportunity to get assistance. This includes financial hardships, but also people who may have need for other reasons, hardships like maybe their house just burned down or there is a serious illness in the family."
The cost of all of the scholarships awarded by Show Me Smiles is absorbed entirely by Walde Orthodontics. The chapter does not do any fundraising and it does not receive any funding from the foundation.
"My interest is for the child to think about it when they get older and then pay it forward by doing something to help someone else," said Dr. Walde. "If they're ever in a position to help someone, they'll do it because someone once did it for them."
- Excerpts from the ©Washington Missouri 2010
Click here to read the full article about the services Dr. Walde and his team provide as a part of Show Me Smiles helping give Missouri teens free braces
National Smile for a Lifetime Foundation
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