Building Beautiful Smiles Since 1946!

A Charity for Children, Offering Orthodontic Care and Oral Health Education

Pediatric Orthodontic Care and Oral Health Education

Group Of Young Children Hanging Out In Playground Smiling Using Mobile Phones

Our Mission

To make a difference in the lives of needy and underprivileged children in Summit, Stark, Portage, Medina and Wayne counties by providing financial assistance for orthodontic and other dental care and by offering oral health education for elementary school students.

About Us

Embracing Futures, Inc. was established in 1946 by the publisher of the Akron Beacon Journal, John S. Knight, and other civic leaders under the ‘Beacon Journal Charity Fund.’

Although their efforts supported many community-wide projects and programs, our founders focused on low-income families in the community. They were dedicated to helping families who were struggling to pay for medical care and had limited access to quality doctors. Today, Embracing Futures, Inc. operates as an independent non-profit organization providing orthodontic services for children living in Summit, Portage, Medina, Stark, and Wayne counties.

Our Programs

The Orthodontic Care Program

Our Orthodontic Care Program provides braces for children suffering from severe orthodontic problems, growing up in a poor or working poor family situation, and have been turned down by Medicaid.

Our team of 28 orthodontic offices addresses potential health problems associated with jaw and tooth misalignment issues. While crooked teeth are easy to see, often children may quietly carry emotional baggage that can’t be seen. They can be socially stigmatized, bullied, and discriminated against, all resulting in lack of confidence and low self-esteem. And worse, teeth left untreated may lead to periodontal disease which can increase the risk for atherosclerosis-induced conditions such as coronary heart disease and stroke, complications of diabetes, and adverse pregnancy outcomes in young women.

The Oral Health Education Program

Dr. Milton Rubin’s Oral Health Education Program is a class for children attending a public, parochial or private school, taught by professionals, explaining the importance of oral health, tooth brushing, and eating healthy in a fun and interactive way.

Unfortunately, 3 out of 5 children are affected by tooth decay, and because of this silent epidemic children will miss 51 million hours of school this year in the USA, due to oral health issues. Our program will help address this issue by providing each child with a personal toothbrush, tooth paste, dental floss, disclosing tablets, fun worksheets, and a brushing calendar to track their progress.

Milestones & Achievements

Orthodontic Care Program

So far this year...

28 children have had their braces removed and started a new stage in life
32 children have been approved for orthodontic treatment
34 children are still currently in treatment

Oral Health Education Program

So far this school year, we visited...

43 schools (public, parochial, and private) in Summit and Portage counties
Taught 2,563 students, in 121 classrooms

We also produced a teaching video to help teachers and students.