STAMFORD, CT – In celebration of National Smile Month, Philips Sonicare, the most recommended power toothbrush brand by U.S. dental professionals and consumers, is joining forces with National Children’s Oral Health Foundation: America’s ToothFairy^® (NCOHF) to sponsor its Tomorrow’s SMILES^® program.

Tomorrow’s SMILES^® provides comprehensive oral healthcare to at-risk teens to help break the cycle of pediatric dental disease and prepare them for a brighter future. Throughout 2012, Philips Sonicare and NCOHF will identify ambitious, at-risk teens, and work with dentists across the country to provide pro-bono restorative services. The teens will pay it forward by serving as mentors to younger children in their communities and encourage them to maintain positive oral health habits for a confident and healthy smile.

“Many people don’t understand the full impact of a smile,” said Dr. Ann Demarais, PhD, Interpersonal Communication Specialist and Founder of First Impressions, Inc. “A healthy, confident smile has a tremendous impact on how people are perceived, as well as how they interact with others.”

A smile can have a profound impact on social interaction because it helps shape perceptions and sets the stage for the future of the relationship.  Experts have agreed that people who smile create more favorable first impressions and appear more approachable – even more attractive – than non-smilers.^{[1] [2] [3]} Smiling also influences emotional well-being, including mood.  In fact, consciously turning your facial muscles in the shape of a smile is associated with spontaneous pleasure.

“We know that the benefits of a healthy smile extend beyond just teeth and gums,” said Leopold Stratenus, marketing director for Philips Oral Healthcare. “In partnership with Tomorrow’s SMILES^® we can leverage Sonicare’s leadership in oral healthcare to impact people on a whole new level.”

“The Tomorrow’s SMILES^® program demonstrates the power of a simple gesture – a smile,” said Fern Ingber, NCOHF President and CEO.  “We are excited to partner with Philips Sonicare to provide promising teenagers with the confidence they need to succeed in life by giving them healthy, beautiful smiles, as well as an opportunity to mentor young children on the importance of oral health and maintaining a healthy smile.”

For more information about Philips Sonicare, please visit www.sonicare.com.

[1] Guéguen, N. (2010) The effect of a woman's smile on men's courtship behavior. Social Behavior and Personality. Vol 36 (9), 1233-1236.

[2] Shimamura, Arthur P.; Ross, Jennifer G.; Bennett, Heather D. (2006) Memory for facial expressions: The power of a smile. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review. Vol 13 (2), 217-222.

[3] Reis, H. T., Wilson, I. M., Monestere, C., Bernstein, S., Clark, K., Seidl, E., Franco, M., Gioioso, E., Freeman, L., & Radoane, K. (1990) What is smiling is beautiful and good. European Journal of Social Psychology, 20, 259-267.