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Every child deserves to
SMILE
Smile Savers is the premier pediatric dental surgery program bringing high-quality, hospital-based care to children across Southern Illinois — regardless of their family’s income, insurance, or zip code.
Who We Are
In Southern Illinois, the dental health crisis is urgent and deeply unjust:
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Over $3 million is spent annually on dental-related emergency room visits — most of them preventable.
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In some counties, nearly 60% of school-aged children have untreated cavities.
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More than 30% of families report that lack of insurance is the main reason they can’t see a dentist.
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Right now, over 200 underinsured children are waiting for hospital-based care from a pediatric dental specialist.
Behind these numbers are real children in pain — missing school, struggling to eat, or living with chronic conditions that are entirely preventable. The region faces a severe shortage of pediatric dental providers, with just 1 dentist available for every 3,000 children — well below recommended levels to provide quality care to our kids. This forces families to travel long distances or go without care entirely.
Smile Savers was built to change that. Our program integrates dental providers, public health professionals and community-based service providers to connect children with life-changing care, education, and early intervention. We’re not just treating problems — we’re giving hope. With every surgery and every screening, we’re making systemic, measurable change.
By funding this initiative, you're not only alleviating immediate pain. You're investing in sustainable, community-led solutions that promote lifelong health, educational success, and dignity. Because no child should suffer from a preventable condition — and every smile deserves to be seen.
Serving the Children Who Are Too Often Overlooked.
In too many communities, children with Medicaid or special health needs wait months — sometimes years — for essential dental surgery. Smile Savers changes that.
Our hospital-based program ensures that every child can access care with dignity. We work in partnership with local healthcare providers, schools, and community leaders to bring specialized pediatric dental surgery where it's needed most: right here in southern Illinois.
With a focus on prevention, early intervention, and hands-on education, Smile Savers is building a future where no child’s health is left behind.
“This isn’t charity — it’s what every child deserves.”
Community Heatlh Partner
Mission in Action
What We Do
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Hospital-based dental surgeries
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Preventative education and screenings
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Specialized care for Medicaid and special-needs patients
Where We Work
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Serving southern Illinois — especially rural and underserved communities
Why It Matters
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Tooth pain can impact learning, nutrition, and development
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We reduce wait times from months to weeks
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Every child receives care in a supportive, stigma-free setting
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Your Gift, Their Smile
Give a smile,
Change a Life.
Your donation helps fund dental surgeries that many families simply can’t afford — even with insurance. Every $25 brings us closer to care for a child in pain. Every $250 covers an entire clinic visit.
Thanks to donors like you, Smile Savers has already helped hundreds of children thrive — and with your support, we can reach hundreds more this year.
Celebrating a Century of Service
This fall, we’ll celebrate 100 years of commitment to community health — and announce an exciting new future for the Tisdale Woods Foundation. Until then, our focus is clear: expanding Smile Savers, growing local partnerships, and serving the children who need us most.
Join us at upcoming community events and our Fall Gala, where we’ll honor lives transformed — and those who made it possible.
Get in Touch
Reach out today and our staff will get in touch at their earliest availability.
Headquarted in Southern Illinois
