Mission

Our mission is to support underserved students in our communities by promoting their health in mind, body, and spirit, ensuring they have the foundation for bright and successful futures.

Our History

In 1998, The Happy Tooth Foundation (HTF) was born from the vision of Dr. Jin Yi to provide food security and healthy lifestyle choices to those in need. With the help and support of her husband Dr. Larry, the founder of MyOrthodontist, the couple created the foundation to be an organization dedicated to overcoming the inequalities for the underserved in our communities. The Happy Tooth Foundation first took root in the forms of the “Yes I Can” Summer Camp, scholarships for other active camps, and a “Plow + Share” Farm. It began with 9 students and later expanded to 22. As a part of this foundation, campers stayed active by riding bikes, swimming, and running, and they developed literacy skills and handcrafts. Today, HTF helps students be healthy in mind, body, and spirit by providing comprehensive programs that offer physical activities, nutritional education, mental health support, and personal development opportunities.

Our Core Values

As an organization, our values are centered around the following pillars:

Every young person has great potential to be a leader.
Every young person should be given a foundation for success.
The more children smile, the happier they become.
Happy kids will grow into healthy kids.
Eating healthy sets up children for successful personal and professional futures.
Education is the best way out of poverty.
Parents and guardians are the greatest influence in a young person’s life. Supporting parents and guardians is supporting young people.
Integrity, respect, creativity, and service are key character strengths for every young person.

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Our Services

We know that the best way to support students in reaching their maximum potential is to ensure that they grow up healthy in all ways. The HTF provides services to help students grow healthy in mind, body, and spirit.

Healthy Minds

Healthy Bodies

Healthy Spirit

Who We Serve

The intention is for The Happy Tooth Foundation to serve students, ages Grades 7 and above who are underserved in the surrounding communities wherever there are My Orthodontist practices.

These areas include:

Burgaw
Chapel Hill
Cary
Concord
Durham
Fayetteville
Greensboro
Mount Airy
Raleigh
Rocky Mount
Roanoke Rapids
Sanford
Wake Forest
Washington

We anticipate that the cultural makeup of Happy Tooth will closely reflect the cultural demographics of the patients of MyOrthodontist. About 70% of MyOrthrodontist patients are on Medicaid.