Clean water and good health, including good dental hygiene, go hand in hand. Every morning and every night, you brush — and maybe, just maybe, even floss — your teeth. And when it comes time to rinse your pearly whites, what do you use? Clean or dirty water? Chances are, you have a choice and you choose to use clean water.
For 703 million people globally, this choice to use clean or dirty water — for dental hygiene and everyday needs — doesn’t exist. There is no … choice. They lack access to clean water, and with only dirty water, if any water, within reach of their community, good health and good dental hygiene fall to the wayside.
Our friends at Smile Generation, a charity: water Brand Partner since 2009, have set out to change this. Throughout the last 15 years, Smile Generation has rallied their family of offices, dentists, staff, and patients to bring clean water to hundreds of communities around the world.
Through team fundraising, funding entire water projects, and more, their support has resulted in a whopping $8.8M — and counting — bringing clean water to more than 247,000 people in Ethiopia, Uganda, Haiti, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and Cambodia.
These numbers tell a story of impact, but there’s also a sense of excitement and friendly competition behind those numbers that, every April and May, our team loves to see and celebrate. This year, with 1,045 offices participating in Smile Generation’s annual team fundraising campaign for charity: water, we’re highlighting a few — and sharing how they’re creatively raising funds for clean water.
![NE Heights Modern Dentistry in Albuquerque, New Mexico](https://cw-contentful-assets.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2F2w85ks0ylymt%2F4O7iHSrpypZQg4xCAmn2nT%2Fa3170ca7aabd9b49ad1a361ff0eb58b6%2FNE_Heights_Modern_Dentistry.jpg?ixlib=rails-4.1.0&auto=format&w=1120&s=333ee1176837e58e4046df0e3e1582c7)
NE Heights Modern Dentistry in Albuquerque, New Mexico
Office decorating contests are one way that Smile Generation offices get involved in the team fundraising campaign — raising awareness among patients about the water crisis and funds for clean water. This year, NE Heights Modern Dentistry decorated their office with hand-dyed coffee filters as an ode to the color and vibrancy of communities in Ethiopia.
Operations Manager Gabriela says, “charity: water is such a great organization […] By highlighting what this campaign does for communities in Ethiopia — giving them a higher quality of life — it inspires us and our patients to work toward charity: water’s mission.”
![Green Valley Smiles Dentistry in Henderson, Nevada](https://cw-contentful-assets.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2F2w85ks0ylymt%2F77XKehVKgtkM5j207yVM3M%2Feb92d0cf325962abdc05819868272deb%2FGreen_Valley_Smiles_Dentistry_2.png?ixlib=rails-4.1.0&auto=format&w=1120&fm=png&s=8231d7230d8a6563f9ac2fe2a57b2ced)
Green Valley Smiles Dentistry in Henderson, Nevada
For years, the Green Valley Smiles Dentistry office has participated in fundraising for charity: water. The office proudly displays a jerry can — a conversation starter for the clean water cause — they received from Smile Generation CEO Steve Thorne years ago.
Operations Manager Sam says, “At the end of the day, our end goal is to provide clean water to communities who need it. The camaraderie is what keeps us motivated. We are lucky enough to have an office with an owner, dentist, associates, hygienists, and our specialist that all are more than willing to rally around a common goal. Patients are super excited to help out with any donations toward [any] charity that we are passionate about.”
![Lemmon Valley Dental Group in Reno, Nevada](https://cw-contentful-assets.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2F2w85ks0ylymt%2F3zbzxa7rZgsG8iyWgbG4Ji%2F26415e1480a422dfa0432dd0d960be96%2FLemmon_Valley_Dental_Group_1.jpg?ixlib=rails-4.1.0&auto=format&w=1120&s=5822846a58b926ef0da0ab842eaa0390)
Lemmon Valley Dental Group in Reno, Nevada
Lemmon Valley Dental Group is known within the Smile Generation family of offices for their long-standing commitment to charity: water and their detailed office decorations. A piped system tap stand adorns their office and is accompanied by raindrops and rainbows throughout their space. The decorations — the story they tell — are intended to encourage patients to see and feel the beauty of clean water.
The Lemmon Valley office also displays donation cards for every patient who donates, inviting others to do the same. Operations Manager Krystal says, “I’d like to quote Audrey Hepburn: ‘Water is life, and clean water means health.’”
![Atascocita Modern Dentistry in Humble, Texas](https://cw-contentful-assets.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2F2w85ks0ylymt%2F62Nx2mvlOJzXsgmpx6v20K%2F57215f442a857bb71ec7b4b3b0427016%2FAtascocita_Modern_Dentistry_1.jpg?ixlib=rails-4.1.0&auto=format&w=1120&s=0c503a91dbc9d96ab15a59b25e79db23)
Atascocita Modern Dentistry in Humble, Texas
We weren’t joking when we said Smile Generation inspires friendly competition among its offices — all in the name of clean water! To round out this lineup of offices, we’re stoked to share Atascocita Modern Dentistry, the regional winner of the office decorating contest for all Smile Generation offices in Louisiana and southern Texas.
Operations Manager Marcus says, “We are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the charity: water campaign. We are all so fortunate to go about our daily lives not having to worry when we will have our next sip of water or when we will be able to clean a dish — or even ourselves. By contributing to and promoting the charity: water campaign, we’re able to help provide a healthier and happier life for those who deserve it.”
It turns out, going to the dentist can be an inspiring and impactful experience — for your own health and for that of others. These are a handful of the many ways Smile Generation and their family of offices are bringing clean water to hundreds of communities around the world. Learn more about Smile Generation’s campaign for clean water — and, if you’re inspired, make a donation.
If these stories and photos brought a smile to your face and sparked a desire to start your own fundraising campaign for clean water, personally or through your business, learn more.
Thank you for believing, as we do, in a world where everyone has access to clean water and all it enables — good health, happiness, opportunities, and more.
Photos courtesy of Smile Generation