{"id":402,"date":"2026-05-16T04:04:50","date_gmt":"2026-05-16T04:04:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arizonamovinginsider.com\/?p=402"},"modified":"2026-05-16T04:04:50","modified_gmt":"2026-05-16T04:04:50","slug":"gilbert-orthodontist-is-helping-dozens-of-valley-kids-get-braces-through-a-national-nonprofit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arizonamovinginsider.com\/?p=402","title":{"rendered":"Gilbert orthodontist is helping dozens of Valley kids get braces through a national nonprofit"},"content":{"rendered":"
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GILBERT, AZ \u2014 A Gilbert orthodontist is working to provide free braces to dozens of Valley children who otherwise could not afford them.<\/p>\n

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Dr. Nate Larson opened his Gilbert practice less than a year ago. One of his first patients came through the nonprofit Smiles Change Lives, an organization that connects children from low-income families with orthodontists willing to donate treatment.<\/p>\n

“Nothing is better than having a kid come in, and they smile with their hand over their mouth,” Larson said.<\/p>\n

When Larson learned dozens of Phoenix children were on a waiting list for care, he said he was caught off guard.<\/p>\n

“They were like, ‘We have a massive list in Phoenix.’ And I was like, ‘What?'” Larson said.<\/p>\n

He said he quickly made a promise.<\/p>\n

“I’ll take them all. I’ll do every one of your patients on that list,” Larson said.<\/p>\n

Braces can cost families thousands, but Larson said the impact of treatment goes far beyond cosmetic.<\/p>\n

“It’s like they go through a transformation. They all of a sudden have more confidence. They start smiling more,” Larson said.<\/p>\n

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Melanie Johnston, of Smiles Change Lives, said the nonprofit’s mission is straightforward.<\/p>\n

“We help families that cannot afford braces for their kids, and then we match them with orthodontists willing to donate care,” Johnston said.<\/p>\n

Since 1997, the nonprofit says it has helped more than 20,000 children nationwide. Johnston said Larson’s commitment has already made a measurable difference locally.<\/p>\n

“He’s made a big difference in that area,” Johnston said.<\/p>\n

Smiles Change Lives says Larson has already cut the Valley waiting list nearly in half, with dozens of families still waiting.<\/p>\n

For Larson, giving back is central to why he opened his own practice.<\/p>\n

“It’s not a matter of how much can I build and how much can I get, but it’s really how much can I give?” Larson said.<\/p>\n

Smiles Change Lives is also looking for more orthodontists across Arizona willing to donate their services.<\/p>\n

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For more information, click here.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A Gilbert orthodontist is working to provide free braces to dozens of Valley children who otherwise could not afford them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":401,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-402","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gilbert-news"],"yoast_head":"\nGilbert orthodontist is helping dozens of Valley kids get braces through a national nonprofit - Arizona Moving Insider<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/arizonamovinginsider.com\/?p=402\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Gilbert orthodontist is helping dozens of Valley kids get braces through a national nonprofit - 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