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Twenty years ago, one dental clinic set something bigger in motion. What began as a single effort to help children in need has grown into a national movement—reaching more than 9 million children and families with care, education, and support.
Today, America’s ToothFairy increases access to dental care and oral health education by supporting nonprofit clinics, schools, and community partners serving children in underserved communities.
It all started with a simple question—and a responsibility.
For Dr. Cherilyn Sheets, that responsibility emerged during a deeply personal moment. After her father suffered a massive stroke, Dr. Sheets found herself covering two dental practices—one in Newport Beach and one in Inglewood, California—while trying to decide what to do with her family’s longtime dental office in Inglewood.
The community had supported her family for generations. Dr. Sheets knew she wanted to give something back—but she also knew the traditional private-practice model would not work for the families she was seeing.
While sitting in church one day, listening to a call for donations to help rebuild after an earthquake, the idea came into focus. Dr. Sheets realized she already had something powerful: a fully equipped dental facility that could be used to serve children who otherwise had nowhere to go.
Within hours, she had outlined a plan to transform the space into a nonprofit dental center focused on children. With no formal nonprofit experience—and while home sick with chickenpox—she wrote her first grant proposal. The request was for $161,000.
It was approved.
That grant became the foundation for what would soon open as The Children’s Dental Center in Inglewood, California—a prototype clinic designed not just to treat disease, but to prevent it.
From the very beginning, Dr. Sheets believed that treating cavities alone was not enough. The goal was to teach children and their families how to prevent oral disease altogether.
The clinic focused on education, behavior change, and early intervention—helping families understand that brushing, flossing, diet, and routine care could change the trajectory of a child’s life.
The results were powerful. Children who had never seen a dentist before were receiving care. Parents were learning alongside their kids. And families were gaining skills that would last a lifetime.
As successful as the clinic was, it revealed a hard truth: running a nonprofit dental clinic was financially unsustainable without ongoing support. Every child treated meant another financial loss. Grants were temporary. Supplies were expensive. And clinics serving the working poor were caught in the middle—families earned too much to qualify for public assistance, but not enough to afford care.
Dr. Sheets and her team collected donated samples from dental conferences, asking manufacturers not to throw unused supplies away.
It was never enough.
That challenge sparked a bigger idea.
What if clinics didn’t have to struggle alone? What if there were a national organization focused solely on supporting children’s dental charities—helping them stay open, stay equipped, and stay focused on prevention?
That idea became The National Children’s Oral Health Foundation: America’s ToothFairy, which was later shortened to “America’s ToothFairy.”
By bringing together leaders from across the dental industry—many of whom were competitors in the marketplace—America’s ToothFairy created a “neutral island” where collaboration replaced competition. Dental companies, clinics, and educators worked together toward a single goal: helping children receive the care and education they need to grow up healthy.
From the start, the organization committed to operating leanly, keeping overhead low so that donated resources could flow directly to clinics and community programs. Supplies, equipment, education, and training were prioritized—taking pressure off safety-net providers so they could focus on caring for kids.
That clarity of mission has made all the difference.
Two decades later, America’s ToothFairy has helped expand access to dental care, education, and preventive resources for millions of children who might otherwise go without.
Dr. Sheets often says that one of her proudest accomplishments is not just what was built—but that others picked up the flag.
Today, America’s ToothFairy remains grounded in the same belief that launched its first clinic: no child should suffer from tooth decay—a disease that is preventable.
As we celebrate 20 years of impact, we honor the moment that started it all—and the countless children whose lives have been changed because someone saw a problem and chose to act.
While progress has been made, too many children still face barriers to dental care—making continued support essential to reaching more families and building healthier futures. Help more children grow up free from dental pain. Support America’s ToothFairy and expand access to dental care and oral health education for children in underserved communities.
This is the first story in our yearlong 20th anniversary series, celebrating the people, programs, and partnerships that have shaped America’s ToothFairy over the past two decades.
