The Sprig Challenge
Hey there, Smile Squad!
It’s the Healthy Smile Hero here. It’s my mission to help every kid get access to dental care so they can grow up healthy, confident, and pain-free. A very special CEO and her company are helping to make that mission reality. It’s the Sprig Challenge!
At AAPD 2026, Sprig will match contributions to the Foundation for up to $10,000! Will you help us reach our goal?
Brenda Hansen: Founder, CEO, Advocate
Brenda Hansen is the Founder and CEO of Sprig Oral Health Technologies. For her, improving children’s oral health has always been deeply personal. Now that’s my kind of hero!
Years ago, when her son was little, he injured his front teeth and Brenda came face to face with just how limited pediatric dental options could be. That moment lit a fire in her that’s never gone out. She’s been championing the idea ever since that all kids deserve dental care designed specifically for them – not just adult care scaled down, but real, thoughtful, child-first dentistry that prioritizes kids’ health, confidence, and long-term wellbeing. Sound familiar? That’s basically my whole thing!
That shared passion is exactly why Brenda and Sprig are amazing partners for the AAPD Foundation. Sprig is dedicated to providing safer, healthier options for the next generation. The Foundation is the nation’s largest dentist-led charity dedicated to children’s oral health.
Together, we’re turning generosity into real, tangible change for kids who need it most
A Crisis We Can’t Ignore
Right now, access to dental care for kids is under serious threat. Cuts to Medicaid and federal funding could impact up to 20 million children across this country. Twenty million kids who will lose access to the care that keeps them healthy and supports their development. That number should light a fire in all of us.
That’s also why the Foundation’s nationwide network of grantees are so critically important right now. When donations come in, they go straight to where they’re needed most: safety net clinics caring for kids in need. We help remove barriers to care for families across the country, especially those families who can’t afford dental care and don’t prioritize it. Kids shouldn’t pay the price for budget cuts.
With access to care under increasing pressure, supporting children’s oral health has never been more important.
—Brenda Hansen
A Shared Commitment to Children First. Always.
Our friends at Sprig Oral Health Technologies are stepping up in a big way. Every dollar you give becomes two dollars fighting for a child’s smile. Brenda Hansen has made children’s oral health her life’s work. This matching challenge is Brenda’s way — and Sprig’s way — of rallying our whole community around the kids who need us most.
Sprig will match contributions of up to $10,000!
All weekend long at AAPD 2026, Sprig will match every single donation made to the AAPD Foundation.
Join Us at AAPD 2026 and Be a Hero!
At AAPD 2026, Healthy Smile Heroes from across the country will gather to learn, connect, and support the mission of improving children’s oral health. Come see the AAPD Foundation in the Exhibit Hall at booth #931 to learn about our impact, explore ways to get involved, and make your donation count for double. (I’ll be there, too!)
No matter how much you give, every contribution goes directly to expanding access to care for children across the country, right when they need it most.
Sprig will also be there! Visit them at booth #807 to sign up for their expert-led discussions and make a donation.
When the pediatric dental community comes together, we expand access to care and invest in children’s futures.
—Brenda Hansen
The pediatric dental community is powerful when we come together
When we invest in children’s smiles, we invest in their futures.
Let’s show up for our kids this weekend.
Donate here and Sprig will match your gift!
A special, heroic thank-you to Brenda and to Sprig Oral Health 🤍
Be a Hero!
Be a family’s healthy smile hero!
Donate today to help kids across the country access the care they need, no matter what funding changes come.
