Smiles on Wings was founded in October of 2003

Smiles on Wings was founded in October of 2003 by Dr. Usa Bunnag, a native Thai dentist living and practicing in Maryland. In March 2004 the organization received 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status as a non-profit organization. In October 2003 a team of volunteers set out on the first in-country mission in Maesariang, a small town in Northern Thailand. Within a year and a half Smiles on Wings had gone back to this region two more times to provide care. When a devastating tsunami struck Southeast Asia on December 24, 2004, Smiles on Wings arrived in Southern Thailand within two weeks to provide immediate, direct, hands-on relief aid to the victims of the disaster. 

 

 

Shortly after SOW conducted its first dental mission, it was apparent that these communities needed more from the organization. School lunch programs, scholarship funding for young women, water filters and other humanitarian initiatives were quickly implemented. SOW runs these year round programs to ensure our communities are thriving even when SOW is not in town.

SOW currently conducts two to three missions a year in northern and southern Thailand and our humanitarian programs continue year round.