Endeavor raises awareness about clefts while celebrating all smiles

Today, October 6^th, is World Smile Day^®

WORCESTER, Mass., Oct. 6, 2023 -- No one has done it better! Smile Train, the world's largest cleft-focused organization, makes history by setting a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title for largest online photo album of smiling mouths. In all, 21, 274 people across the globe uploaded a smile. Today, a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS adjudicator, Michael Empric verified the results and presented Smile Train with an Official Record Holder certificate. The recognition came during a celebration event at the Worcester Historical Museum in Worcester, Massachusetts -- home of Harvey Ball, who created the iconic smiley face in 1963.

"This was truly a global effort, and what better place to celebrate! This honor is a win for the cleft community and all individuals born with a facial difference. At Smile Train, we're passionate about smiles because we know what a serious business they are. As an organization that supports free cleft surgeries and other comprehensive cleft care, this achievement reinforces the message that all smiles are beautiful," said Susannah Schaefer, President and CEO of Smile Train.

The acknowledgment comes on World Smile Day^® -- a day dedicated to kindness, smiles, and good will across the globe. "We are honored to partner with Smile Train for this event," said William Wallace, Executive Director of the Worcester Historical Museum. "The Worcester community came together to upload smiles and support Smile Train's GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title attempt. World Smile Day^® is significant for us in Worcester, as Harvey Ball -- who gave the world its most iconic smile, the smiley face – is a Worcesterite who encouraged us to help one person smile."

Smile Train began its ambitious campaign in July during National Cleft and Craniofacial Awareness and Prevention month. Showtime's Yellowjackets actress and Smile Train Celebrity Ambassador Samantha Hanratty kicked off the campaign by sharing her smile.

Dentsply Sirona, a longstanding Smile Train corporate partner and the world's largest manufacturer of professional dental products and technologies, joined Smile Train's call to invite everyone to share their smile, committing a $20,000 USD donation if the campaign was successful. The organization increased that figure to $120,000 USD and presented Smile Train with a check during today's celebration.

"We are proud to help shine a light on the important work that Smile Train does to help children and all people living with clefts," said Erania Brackett, Senior Vice President Orthodontic Aligner Solutions & Customer Experience and Head of Sustainability at Dentsply Sirona. "This additional donation will help us continue to provide life-changing surgeries and safe and quality comprehensive cleft care to children all around the world." The organization will also receive a certificate from GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ as a co-record holder.

About Smile Train: Smile Train empowers local medical professionals with training, funding, and resources to provide free cleft surgery and comprehensive cleft care to children globally. We advance a sustainable solution and scalable global health model for cleft treatment, drastically improving children's lives, including their ability to eat, breathe, speak, and ultimately thrive. To learn more about how Smile Train's sustainable approach means donations have both an immediate and long-term impact, please visitsmiletrain.org.

Media Contact: Nicole Bell | Public Relations

nbell@smiletrain.org | (646)829-0996

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