Miles for smiles (M4S)
Cleft lip and cleft palate are the third most common birth defects in the United States, affecting roughly 1 in 700-800 newborns. Children born with clefts have complex medical and social needs, requiring care throughout their growing years. At the UNC School of Dentistry, we are fortunate to have the UNC Craniofacial Center, a team of professionals who are deeply dedicated to patients and families affected by cleft lip, cleft palate, and other craniofacial anomalies.
M4S is a student organization at UNC - Chapel Hill which was founded for the purpose:
Providing financial support for the dental care and other needed services of patients at the UNC Craniofacial Center (mainly children) whose families cannot afford these services.
Presenting a unique educational experience for future dentists: valuable training regarding the care of patients with craniofacial deformities via observational experiences not formally offered in the UNC School of Dentistry Curriculum.
Contributions
Your contribution will help ensure access to comprehensive, specialized treatment for children with cleft lip and palate. The UNC Craniofacial Center receives your donations and subsequently allocates ALL of these funds to needy families on a case-by-case basis. Dental students volunteer their time to M4S so there are no administrative costs affiliated with our organization – Thus, 100% of your contribution will go toward patient care, directly impacting the lives of children. Donate now!
Check out more of what we do on our Facebook page!
We love our Cleft Palate Gallop Family!
And we will continue to log
Miles
for Smiles!
Magical Moments Foundation Collaboration
In 2023, we started a new race-day tradition in which we surprise a UNC craniofacial patient by fulfilling a lifelong wish of theirs. By partnering with the Magical Moments Foundation, your donation will not only help parents afford the cleft lip/palate surgeries their children need, but also make dreams come true. We hope to inspire our craniofacial patients to reach for the stars… to show them they are not at all limited by their appearance, but only by the size of their dreams!
At our 2023 race, we surprised Gavyn and his family by sending them on an all-expenses-paid trip to New York City to attend a Broadway show — and even go back stage. From day one, his parents were told he was born a super star; from acting to singing to dancing, Gavyn can really do it all. Gavyn is a UNC Craniofacial patient born with cleft lip and palate as well as Opitz-Frias Syndrome, he is an aspiring Broadway star, and we are proud to have fulfilled one of his many dreams. The UNC Craniofacial Center, Cleft Palate Gallop and Magical Moments Foundation have been instrumental in this rising star’s journey, and we cannot wait to see how far he goes!