The money will pay for an additional Kansas City dental clinic in December. It will also support TeamSmile's Dental Home Project, which connects underserved children with local dentists for preventive care and continuing relationships.
TeamSmile is a nonprofit organization that runs large-scale dental clinics in partnership with professional sports teams in cities across the United States.
The setup was simple. Every Royals single triggered a donation from Sun Life and the KC Royals Foundation. TeamSmile will use the money through its network of large-scale clinics, which it runs with professional sports organizations in cities across the country.
This campaign builds on existing work.
TeamSmile's partnership model uses the participation of professional sports teams and sponsors to help finance children's access to preventive dental care through community clinics. The organization operates this approach with sports partners in cities across the United States.
Sun Life U.S. said the campaign fits its broader work to improve access to dental services and support better long-term health outcomes for children. Todd Gray, DDS, is Chief Dental Officer at Sun Life U.S., including DentaQuest, and a board member of TeamSmile. He said the partnership connects a popular sport with better access to care. He also said it gives children a stronger chance of keeping good oral health into adulthood.
Drew Fuemmeler, vice president of Corporate Partnerships at the Kansas City Royals, credited Royals fans and Sun Life's support for the result. The money now has a clear use: one more clinic and stronger routes into ongoing local dental care.
Sun Life U.S. has partnered with the Kansas City Royals since 2017. The companies renewed the relationship last year through the 2030 baseball season. Sun Life also sponsors TeamSmile events in multiple cities. Its other sports partnerships include the Boston Celtics and Maine Celtics.
The result is practical. A $50,000 campaign will fund a clinic and continuing dental relationships for children who need care. That gives Every Single Smile a clear link between baseball fans and local oral health services.
