The life of a university student aspiring to become a dentist and that of a seasoned wealth manager who wants to give back after career success are worlds apart. Yet both found common purpose in raising funds to help children with cleft conditions smile again.
Louisiana State University junior Sita Baham, a biology major and fundraising coordinator for the LSU Pre-Dental Society, has already seen the difference her efforts make after organizing two events for Smile Train, the world’s largest cleft organization that provides free surgeries. Last year, Smile Train celebrated its 25th anniversary, marking more than two million cleft surgeries worldwide.
“At our last meeting, I tried to put the impact of the total money raised into perspective,” said Baham. “The US$780 basically pays for about three cleft surgeries, and that really made people realize we were making a difference with the money we’re raising.”
For World Smile Day on Oct. 2, Baham set up a “Smile Wall” at LSU where students could write what made them smile. “It created such a positive atmosphere and got everyone talking about Smile Train’s mission,” she said. That event raised about US$400, while a separate Chipotle Give-Back Night brought in another US$380.
Smile Train’s global model focuses on empowering local medical teams through training and resources, ensuring sustainable, year-round care.
Before joining the initiative, Baham admitted she hadn’t realized “the global aspect of oral health.”
“When I realized oral health isn’t as attainable in other countries, I knew I wanted to support a cause that makes a difference,” she said. “It’s definitely shaping how I want to be as a dentist in the future.”
From patient to champion for change
For Michael Dehal, a 46-year-old Toronto-based wealth-management professional and board member for Smile Train Canada, that sense of purpose comes naturally.
Born with a cleft lip and palate, Dehal endured more than a decade of surgeries, beginning on his first day of life and continuing until age 16. “Growing up, surgeries weren’t as advanced as they are today,” he said. “Teachers assumed I had a learning disability. I didn’t — it was a facial difference, not a mental one. That misunderstanding pushed me to prove myself.”
Now an MBA and CPA who manages portfolios for health professionals, including dentists, Dehal has channelled his resilience into philanthropy.
In October, despite a serious knee injury, he completed the 42-km Chicago Marathon, raising more than US$5,000 for Smile Train. “I was in pain, but I kept thinking about the children whose lives we’re changing,” he said. “That kept me going.”
Since 2017, Dehal has travelled to India to support orphanages, install clean-water systems and mentor children, including those born with clefts.
During his March visit to a Smile Train-partnered hospital in northern India, Dehal saw the charity’s sustainable model firsthand.
“They provide training and funding resources to local hospitals,” he said. “I met the surgeons, orthodontists and the full cleft-care team — everyone was so organized. Families told me the care was outstanding, and that really reassured me that Smile Train is the right organization to be part of.”
In 2021, Dentsply Sirona entered into a five-year renewable partnership with Smile Train.