MT. JULIET, Tenn. -
A Mt. Juliet orthodontist provided a 14-year-old teen from Carthage, Tennessee with a set free set of braces on Friday morning.
Dr. Bart Benson's donation to Katlyn Ray was made possible through the Smile for a Lifetime Foundation.
The foundation's mission is to create self-confidence, inspire hope and change the lives of children in a dramatic way.
"We feel like the gift of a smile can do all this for an under served, deserving individual who in turn can use this gift to better themselves and the community they live in," Dr. Benson told Nashville's News 2.
The free braces saved the family nearly $5,000.
Benson said he requires recipients of the orthodontic scholarship to give back to the community.
"We expect these scholarship recipients to give back to their community [with] 10 hours of service," he said. "We also think it is like planting seeds and we are hoping to encourage community services throughout our region we live in."
Benson said he began partnering with the Smile for a Lifetime Foundation last year.
For more information on the non-profit organization, visit their Web site.
