Our History
Since 2001, Kids Smiles’ team of dentists, hygienists and educators has brought quality dental care and education to thousands of children in need, birth to 18, in Philadelphia and Washington, DC . Through its three dental centers, more than 60,000 children have a “dental home,” where all of their dental needs are addressed in a caring, child-friendly atmosphere.

Kids Smiles opened its first center in Southwest Philadelphia to serve young patients in desperate need of dental services. Led by visionary founder Joseph Greenberg, DMD, along with founding Board Members and major funders Scott Davis, Mark Goldstein, DDS, Mike Miles, and Marie Bothé, Kids Smiles hired Cheryl Janssen to serve as its founding executive director.

Over the years the organization has expanded to meet the growing need for children's dentistry. In 2005, a second site in West Philadelphia opened to the community – a neighborhood with more than 80,000 children.

Following a strategic goal of expanding to serve even more children in need, Kids Smiles opened its third dental center in Washington, DC’s Ward 7 in December 2010.

Our Model
Education is power. Kids Smiles works with area schools, day care and Head Start centers and camps to educate children and their families, teaching them about the importance of proper oral hygiene, the dangers of tobacco, and how to live a healthy lifestyle. The team also provides free dental screenings to children and then reports the findings back to their guardians, helping them secure the services of a dentist when needed. We even help families apply for various state insurance programs if they are uninsured.