| A new smile is Bourne |
 Popular television personality Shane Bourne looked on as Emma, Australia's first Give a Smile™ patient, had her braces removed recently. Emma was the first ever patient of the Give a Smile™ program which gives the equivalent of $1million a year in free orthodontic treatment to Australian children who would otherwise have to wait indefinite periods of time on the long public dental health waiting lists. As a keen supporter of Give a Smile™ since its inception in 2005, Bourne was on the scene when Dr Ted Crawford removed the braces which Emma has worn for the past two years to rectify her severely malformed teeth and bite. She had a 13.5mm overjet! (sometimes called overbite). The Give a Smile™ program, a philanthropic initiative of the Australian Society of Orthodontists, encourages private practice specialist orthodontists around Australia to treat one disadvantaged child each year for free; removing them off the public waiting list and effectively accelerating their wait for treatment by up to 1 year. Each orthodontist in the program donates their services to the tune of $5,000 to 7,000 for each child treated through the program. According to Founder and Chair of Give a Smile™ Dr Ted Crawford, “The goal of Give a Smile™ is simple and heartfelt; it’s to ‘give a smile’ both figuratively and literally to people in our community who are in need and could do with that smile”. Emma loves her new look and has been given a great boost in confidence as well as a wonderful smile.  |
