Smile Train and Dentsply Sirona Win Halo Award for Best Technology for Good Initiative, Advancing the Future of Cleft Care Worldwide
Using technology as a force to increase access to care and advance cleft care globally, Smile Train and Dentsply Sirona have been recognized for their global community engagement efforts as part of Dentsply Sirona’s “BEYOND: Taking Action for a Brighter World” sustainability strategy. The partnership received a Gold Halo Award, recognizing how it combines digital dentistry and clinical know how to expand access to oral care.
New York, NY, April 27, 2026 – Smile Train, the world’s largest cleft-focused organization, and Dentsply Sirona, the world’s largest diversified manufacturer of professional dental products and technologies, have been honored with a 2026 Gold Halo Award in the category Best Technology for Good Initiative.
Increasingly, digital dentistry solutions play an important role in amplifying impact by helping expand reach, improve treatment planning, and support more consistent, high-quality care delivery. The Halo Award recognizes how Smile Train and Dentsply Sirona leverage customer-centric digital dentistry solutions as well as personalized clinical education to help advance the future of cleft care globally, including the development of the first-ever global standard workflows for digitalized cleft treatment. The initiative has supported approximately 7,000 surgeries across 18 countries, donated 34 pieces of equipment to partner centers worldwide, and launched a multilingual Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) empowering oral health professionals globally to integrate digital solutions into cleft care.
“At Smile Train, we see every day how access to timely, high-quality cleft care can change a life,” said Susannah Schaefer, President and CEO of Smile Train. “Receiving a Halo Award together with Dentsply Sirona is a meaningful recognition of what strong partnerships can achieve. By combining digital dentistry solutions with training and local expertise, we are helping more clinicians reach more patients and expand access to safe, effective treatment around the world – even in settings where resources are limited.”
Presented by Engage for Good, the Halo Awards honor standout collaborations between companies and nonprofits that leverage business strengths to create measurable, positive change for people and communities globally.
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About Smile Train
Smile Train empowers local medical professionals with training, funding, and resources to provide free cleft surgery and comprehensive cleft care to children globally. We advance a sustainable solution and scalable global health model for cleft treatment, drastically improving children's lives, including their ability to eat, breathe, speak, and ultimately thrive. To learn more about how Smile Train's sustainable approach means donations have both an immediate and long-term impact, please visit smiletrain.org.