Planet Smilez
Planet Smilez is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2015 that runs dental workforce development programs, including the Discovering Dentistry Symposium, for middle and high school students from underserved communities and Health Professional Shortage Areas.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersBaltimore, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Planet Smilez does
Planet Smilez is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2015 by Dr. Catherine (Kathryn Pawlak) at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry to address racial and ethnic disparities and workforce shortages in the oral health profession. The organization serves middle and high school students from underserved communities and dental Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), delivering educational mentorship, hands-on dental simulation activities, and career exploration designed to inspire future careers in dentistry. Its core program is the Discovering Dentistry Symposium (DDS), hosted at partner institutions including the University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Harvard MEDScience, and Chesapeake College, supplemented by the Discovering Dentistry Camp, Sealant Saturday (providing free exams and sealants), and a network of Dental Student Chapters at dental assisting, dental hygiene, and dental schools nationwide.
The organization's underlying delivery model is volunteer-driven: dental school faculty, alumni, and current students serve as mentors and event organizers, with Planet Smilez Student Chapters extending programmatic reach into local communities. The technology stack is intentionally minimal — hands-on activities using plastic teeth models and real dental school facilities, supported by a standard website and PayPal-based donation infrastructure. There are no disclosed AI/ML, proprietary software platforms, or technology products.
Planet Smilez generates no service revenue; its economic model is a hybrid of grant funding and individual donations. Delta Dental has been the dominant institutional backer, providing over $1.7 million in cumulative funding since 2023, including a $980,000 award through the 2024 Delta Dental Oral Health Diversity Fund. Individual donors contribute through four structured giving tiers (Brushing Buddies Bundle at $100, Future Flossers Fund at $500, Crown Package at $1,000, and Smile Scholars Fund at $5,000), with recognition benefits escalating by tier. The organization operates with 1-10 employees, is headquartered at a registered address in Hunter, NY, and conducts programming across Maryland, Washington DC, Massachusetts, and the Eastern Shore.
Planet Smilez firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Planet Smilez
- Legal name
- Planet Smilez
- Website
- https://planetsmilez.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Planet Smilez is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2015 that runs dental workforce development programs, including the Discovering Dentistry Symposium, for middle and high school students from underserved communities and Health Professional Shortage Areas.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Planet Smilez industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Dental Workforce Development and Oral Health Education
- NAICS
- Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- School/Community-Based Preventive Dental Programs (HLABAHAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Community & Public Health Dentistry Clinics (FQHC/School-Based/Nonprofit) (HLABAAAF), Preventive & Routine General Dentistry (Exams/Cleanings/Sealants/Fluoride) (HLABAAAA)
Keywords
Where Planet Smilez is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Baltimore
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Planet Smilez business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Grant Funding: Planet Smilez receives grant funding from Delta Dental to support workforce development programs. The organization received more than $1.7 million in funding since 2023 from Delta Dental to support programs targeting students from dental Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs).
- Donations and Sponsorship: Individual donations through various giving tiers (Brushing Buddies Bundle $100, Future Flossers Fund $500, Crown Package $1,000, Smile Scholars Fund $5,000). Corporate sponsorship and website recognition for donors.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | Brushing Buddies Bundle - $100 donation |
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | Future Flossers Fund - $500 donation |
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | Crown Package - $1,000 donation |
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | Smile Scholars Fund - $5,000 donation |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Planet Smilez product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Planet Smilez operates a portfolio of oral health mentorship and workforce development programs that introduce middle and high school students from underserved communities to the dental profession through hands-on activities and mentorship. Core programs include the Discovering Dentistry Symposium, Discovering Dentistry Camp, Sealant Saturday (free exams and sealants), and Dental Student Chapters at dental schools nationwide. Services are delivered free of charge to participants and funded through grants and donations.
Product overview
Planet Smilez is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of oral health mentorship and workforce development programs aimed at inspiring school-aged children from underserved communities to pursue careers in dentistry. The core offering is the Discovering Dentistry Symposium (DDS), a hands-on educational program hosted at universities including the University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Harvard MEDScience, and Chesapeake College. The organization also operates Dental Student Chapters at dental schools nationwide and runs periodic Sealant Saturday events providing free dental care. The portfolio includes four donation-based giving tiers (Brushing Buddies Bundle, Future Flossers Fund, Crown Package, and Smile Scholars Fund) that fund oral hygiene kits, branded apparel, DAT prep materials, and sponsorship recognition for supporters.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Discovering Dentistry Symposium: A symposium program designed to inspire middle and high school students from underserved communities to pursue careers in oral health through hands-on activities, mentorship, and career exploration.
- Discovering Dentistry Camp
- Planet Smilez Student Chapters
Products and services
- Discovering Dentistry Symposium (DDS) Signature hands-on educational symposium program for middle and high school students from underserved communities and dental Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), featuring mentorship from dental school faculty, alumni, and current students and career exploration activities designed to inspire pursuit of oral health careers.
- Discovering Dentistry Camp Summer camp program at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry that introduces students to the dental profession and teaches oral health care to school-aged children.
- Sealant Saturday Community program providing free dental exams and sealants for students and their families, establishing a dental home for participants and connecting them to ongoing oral health care.
- Dental Student Chapters Student chapters at dental assisting, dental hygiene, and dental schools nationwide that organize Planet Smilez programming in local communities, providing networking, leadership, and education opportunities for student volunteers.
- Oral Health Pathway Programs Comprehensive oral health programs that guide aspiring dental professionals through mentorship and educational pathways, encompassing the Discovering Dentistry Symposiums, camps, and other program offerings.
Quantifiable outcome
- Students who attended Planet Smilez summer camp reported increased interest in pursuing dentistry careers
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Planet Smilez
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Planet Smilez technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Planet Smilez partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered secondary, core and minor.
- Chesapeake CollegesecondaryHost venue for the Discovering Dentistry Symposium on September 27, 2025, aimed at inspiring middle and high school students from underserved areas to pursue careers in dentistry.
- University of Maryland School of DentistrycorePrimary institutional partner for Planet Smilez programs. The founder started the organization at the University of Maryland in 2015. The dental school provides faculty, alumni, and current students as mentors for the Discovering Dentistry camps and symposiums.
- Alta ScrubsminorListed as a partner/working relationship on the Planet Smilez website alongside the University of Maryland School of Dentistry logo.
- Harvard MEDSciencesecondaryHost venue for the Discovering Dentistry Symposium designed for middle and high school students to address workforce shortages in underserved communities through early exposure and mentorship.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Planet Smilez competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- America's ToothFairy (National Children's Oral Health Foundation): National non-profit focused on children's oral health education, prevention, and access — directly comparable mission of reaching underserved youth with oral health programming, and an obvious co-funder or partner candidate in the same space.
- National Dental Association: Professional association dedicated to promoting oral health equity and increasing representation of minority dentists in the U.S. workforce — directly aligned with Planet Smilez's workforce-diversity and pipeline mission.
- Hispanic Dental Association: National non-profit advancing Hispanic oral health professionals and community oral health — directly aligned peer in dental workforce diversity and pipeline development for underserved Hispanic youth.
- Society of American Indian Dentists: Member organization promoting American Indian/Alaska Native representation in dentistry and supporting Indigenous oral health — a directly comparable pipeline-and-workforce-diversity peer serving a distinct underserved population.
- Tour for Diversity in Medicine: Non-profit bringing minority pre-health students and physicians to underserved communities to mentor and inspire future health professionals — directly comparable youth health-career pipeline mission across multiple professions.
- The Center for Oral Health: California-based non-profit focused on improving oral health equity and access for underserved communities — comparable non-profit working on oral health equity and workforce capacity in underserved geographies.
- Children's Dental Health Project: Advocacy and policy non-profit dedicated to improving children's oral health through education, policy, and access — peer in the children's oral health non-profit space targeting systemic and educational outcomes.
Broad incumbents
- Give Kids A Smile (ADA Foundation): ADA Foundation program providing free oral health services and education to underserved children — much larger incumbent operating in school- and community-based pediatric oral health education, comparable end beneficiaries and venues.
- Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures: Global corporate social responsibility program delivering oral health education to underserved children in schools worldwide — much larger incumbent targeting the same student segment with comparable educational mission.
- American Dental Education Association (ADEA): National association representing academic dentistry and dental education institutions — operates closely adjacent pipeline and workforce-diversity initiatives and convenes the dental schools that Planet Smilez partners with.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Planet Smilez social profiles
Digital presencePlanet Smilez financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Planet Smilez leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Planet Smilez funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Planet Smilez M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Planet Smilez
What does Planet Smilez do?
Planet Smilez operates a portfolio of oral health mentorship and workforce development programs that introduce middle and high school students from underserved communities to the dental profession through hands-on activities and mentorship. Core programs include the Discovering Dentistry Symposium, Discovering Dentistry Camp, Sealant Saturday (free exams and sealants), and Dental Student Chapters at dental schools nationwide. Services are delivered free of charge to participants and funded through grants and donations.
Is Planet Smilez a public or private company?
Planet Smilez is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Planet Smilez founded?
Planet Smilez was founded in 2015. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Planet Smilez based?
Planet Smilez is headquartered in Baltimore, United States, in the North America region.
How does Planet Smilez make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Grant Funding is the primary driver. The others are donations and Sponsorship.
Who are Planet Smilez's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are America's ToothFairy (National Children's Oral Health Foundation), National Dental Association, Hispanic Dental Association, Society of American Indian Dentists, Tour for Diversity in Medicine, The Center for Oral Health and Children's Dental Health Project. Broad incumbents are Give Kids A Smile (ADA Foundation), Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures and American Dental Education Association (ADEA).
Does Planet Smilez have an API?
No public API is recorded for Planet Smilez.
What industry is Planet Smilez in?
Planet Smilez's product category is Dental Workforce Development and Oral Health Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLABAHAM, School/Community-Based Preventive Dental Programs, with a secondary code of HLABAAAF, Community & Public Health Dentistry Clinics (FQHC/School-Based/Nonprofit). Its NAICS code is 813212 and its SIC code is 8200.