Dr. Shorouq Sahawneh

For the past 15 years, Bright Now! Dental’s Dr. Shorouq Sahawneh has been helping patients improve their health and self-confidence by transforming smiles. She is an active partner of the Smiles for Everyone Foundation who has volunteered her time and skills to provide hundreds of hours of free dental care to individuals in need.

  1. What first got you interested in providing free dental care to your community?

I’ve always been passionate about how dental care can change people’s lives. Seeing the impact I have on my patients every day, helped me realize that I wanted to provide the gift of dentistry to those who couldn’t afford care. When I learned about the Smiles for Everyone Foundation in 2013, I immediately looked for ways to get involved.

  1. Describe how you’ve partnered with the Smiles for Everyone Foundation.

In July, 2013, I accompanied a group of volunteers to the Foundation’s outpost in Nicaragua. We saw patients who had travelled up to three days to take advantage of free dental care. Our team treated almost 1,000 patients in a week, most of which had never seen a dentist. I received tears of joy and gratitude from many of them, and this experience changed my life. Since then, I’ve partnered with the Smiles for Everyone Foundation locally on several Community Smile Projects providing free dental care to over a 100 patients here in California.

  1. How does it feel to work for a company that shares your values about giving back?

The Smile Brands’ culture of Smiles for Everyone® is engrained in the hearts and souls of all our employees. Working for this company has helped me discover my highest purpose in life. I have been deeply inspired seeing our CEO leading by example through his continuous support of the Foundation. Having the ability to work and volunteer within the same organization has made it possible for me to fulfill my purpose without taking time away from work or family.

  1. What are some of the risks associated with neglecting dental care?

Neglecting dental care can cause minor issues like sensitivity and bad breath or more serious problems such as pain, infection and tooth loss. Moreover, studies repeatedly show that poor dental health can be linked to increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease, heart attack or stroke, diabetes, pneumonia and acute bronchitis. This is why I’m so focused on getting people into regular care. It’s not just about having a pretty smile, proper dental care is critical for people’s overall health.

We extend our sincere gratitude to  Dr. Shorouq Sahawneh for her dedication to helping others and delivering smiles for those in need!

Philippines

Rache Macaranas

Administrator

Col. Percy Macaranas

Administrator

Operating from two locations (Mindanao and Luzon), the Philippines team bring dental care to those most in need, including PDLs (Persons Deprived of Liberty) in city jails and remote tribes like T’boli tribe that often require seven hours or more of travel over rough roads to reach them.

Laos

Dr. Sonexay Kounlavong

Lead Dentist

Good Begin

Administrator

Though they faced economic challenges and massive regional flooding in 2024, the Laos team worked hard to serve their community, including students attending a monastary. This outpost was organically developed by the Thai team, and the two regularly do outreach together.

Rwanda

Dr. Jesse Wong

Lead Dentist

Launched in January 2025, our newest outpost is led by Dr. Jesse Wong, a Canadian dentist who has lived in Rwanda for 10+ years.

With just two dentists for every 100,000 people in the country, the team is gearing up to treat over 4,000 people in their first year of operation, meeting serious needs in the region, where tooth decay in up to 50% of children is due to high levels of fluoride in the drinking water.

Thailand

Dr. Wata Siyootagrai

Lead Dentist

Narissara (Oh) Jearajetchai

Administrator

Working tirelessly to build partnerships and expand operations, our Thailand outpost has served schools, communities and remote tribes.

In 2024, they have placed their focus to serving refugees from Myanmar, the homeless, children in orphanages, and sex workers—those who have the least access to dental care.

Ghana

Dr. Tinuola Esther Mark

Lead Dentist

Kwesi Oduro-Korankye

Administrator

Ghana won the 2024 Outpost of the Year Award for its outstanding work. By partnering with the Ghana Health Service, this outpost has recruited and assigned dentists to each district of the Ashanti region, ensuring comprehensive care.

Paraguay

Judah Mooney

Director, Diaconia

Pablo Ortiz

Administrator

Dr. Andrea Lopez

Lead Dentist

Paraguay was our first outpost, and began with one doctor serving once a month.


Today, the Paraguay team operates a mobile clinic, partners with dentists at their clinics, and runs a program at Guternburg School.

Central America

Dr. Reyes

Lead Administrator

A dedicated team of volunteer dentists provide much-needed care to communities in need. This year, the outpost partnered with a youth organization, offering services and education to children and adolescents who otherwise don’t have access to dental care.

Mexico

Jesus Perez

Director

Using innovative strategies and technology to increase efficiency and overcome barriers, the Mexico outpost is connected with key universities in the area to collaborate with dental school students.



The team also opened a Smiles Dental Consultation Room for patients who need follow-up from the larger outreaches.

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