25 Years of Smiles: Celebrating the Legacy and Future of Smiles For A Lifetime.

What is the impact of Smiles for a Lifetime?

For the past 25 years, the answer has been healthier smiles, improved confidence, and better access to dental care for thousands of children across South Carolina.

The beginning of each new school year is always exciting, but this year marks a special place in Smiles for A Lifetime history.  2026 is the celebration of our 25^th year!  It’s hard to believe that 25 years have come and gone, but it also feels like a lifetime ago when we started with just one small office in Allendale, South Carolina.

To understand how far we’ve come, it helps to look back at where it all began. In the early 2000s, the Allendale community faced many challenges. The SC State Department of Education had taken over the management of the school district and State Superintendent, Inez Tennenbaum, wanted to do something positive for the children. As she visited schools throughout the district, she recognized a huge void in dental services and reached out to see if Welvista could start a dental program.

At that time, there was no other school-based dental program in the state that we were aware of, so Welvista took on the challenge. With support from The Duke Endowment Foundation and the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina, Smiles For A Lifetime was born. From the very beginning, our goal was simple: to ensure children in underserved communities had access to the dental care they needed to live healthier, more confident lives

Twenty-five years later, that impact can be seen across South Carolina.

Today, we provide dental services to more than 4,000 students each school year. Since 2001, we have provided care to more than 22,000 students and filled over 138,000 cavities.

There’s no question the years have thrown curve balls, but through it all Smiles For A Lifetime has been able to thrive and grow.  When our initial center in Allendale opened, we quickly realized the need for dental care across South Carolina.  Because of our visionary leaders, donors with a heart for children’s needs, and brilliant industry partners, we were able to expand into four locations.  In 2003 we added our office in Dillon, Clarendon in 2004, and finally Hampton in 2017. 

We now have 20 amazing dentists and 26 phenomenal employees, many of whom have been with us since day one. The dedication of these individuals is what makes Smiles For A Lifetime what it is today!

Since the very beginning, we have been dedicated to bringing high-quality dental care directly to K4-12 students in underserved communities across South Carolina. Our mission has always been to make oral healthcare accessible, convenient, and effective for both parents and students. It was of the utmost importance that we provide preventive and restorative care for the children. Cleaning teeth is extremely important, but filling cavities completes the total dental health of the child.

We strive to remove any barriers that may prevent children from receiving dental care. By locating our offices directly on school campuses and aligning our hours with the school calendar, Smiles For A Lifetime makes it easier for students to receive the dental care they need with minimal disruption to their school day. Transportation to and from school is available for families who need it, but parents are also welcome to bring their children to their appointments. 

We file all dental insurance types, with no out of pocket cost to parents. Our services include cleanings, fillings, extractions, stainless steel crowns, fluoride treatments, sealants, and oral hygiene education. Any child that does not have a regular dental home is welcome at Smiles For A Lifetime!

Our Hampton office is growing and we are eagerly awaiting the completion of it’s new building! In the past two years, Hampton School District has merged with Estill School District, and this new location will allow us to serve even more families in Hampton County.

In this 25^th year, we are celebrating our long history of success, but as we go forward the biggest question is “what’s next?”  While we can’t reveal everything, we can say that we are ready to continue to offer excellent dental care to even more students and are focused on a bright future ahead! 

Thank you for your continued support and confidence in Smiles For A Lifetime. We love being a part of every community that we serve.