You Should Know:
Embrace Smiles
by Chelsea Knorr, Associate Editor,
Orthotown Magazine
Alexis Barclay, CEO of Embrace Smiles, and Stephanie Leith, marketing
coordinator of Smiles Change Lives, tell us about how the two entities
are connected, what you can do to get involved, and why you should.
Tell us about Embrace Smiles, and what you
provide to orthodontists.
Barclay: Embrace Smiles is a promotional products
company with a purpose – supporting Smiles Change
Lives! Embrace Smiles sells what orthodontic and dental
offices need, like uniforms, incentives, awards, advertising
specialties, gifts, signage and more. When they purchase
the promotional products they need, a portion of the proceeds
is donated to the Smiles Change Lives program.
Partner providers with Smiles Change Lives receive 15 percent
off orders. Any non-profit also gets this same discount.
What is your background in ortho?
Barclay: Many of the Smiles Change Lives providers
take advantage of the discounts available to them through
Embrace Smiles. A lot of the volunteers for Embrace
Smiles and Smiles Change Lives are aspiring orthodontists
and/or pre-dental students.
How exactly is Embrace Smiles connected to
Smiles Change Lives?
Barclay and Leith: Embrace Smiles was formed to
support Smiles Change Lives in 2006. A portion of every
sale goes back to support Smiles Change Lives in its efforts
to recruit more orthodontists and treat more children.
Tell me about Smiles Change Lives.
Leith: Smiles Change Lives promotes and provides
access to life-changing, orthodontic treatment for children
from low-income families. The program has treated
almost 3,000 children since 1997.
How can a practice begin working with you?
And, what if they'd like to get involved with
Smiles Change Lives?
Barclay: Practices can learn more about us on our
website www.embracesmiles.com or by e-mailing me at
alexis@embracesmiles.com or calling 877-415-KIDS.
Leith: To become a partner with Smiles Change Lives
you can visit our website at www.smileschangelives.org,
e-mail provider@smileschangelives.org or call 888-900-3554.
What kind of service can orthodontists expect
when they pick up the phone and call you?
Barclay: Embrace Smiles provides second-to-none
customer service. We are basically your personal shopper.
We will find you the best price and if we can't we will
send you somewhere that will. You also have the knowledge
that proceeds from your purchases go back to help
kids in need of orthodontic work. It's a “grin-grin” situation
for everybody involved.
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