Our Story
From our family to yours
I’m so glad you found our company and you’re interested in knowing more about Smile Guard!
Smile Guard started as a school assignment to create a product that could be used during the COVID-19 pandemic. Immediately, I thought about the challenges that the deaf and hard of hearing community is experiencing without the ability to read lips and see facial expressions through an obstructive face mask. In response, and with the help of my teachers, I created a homemade mask with a clear window and an unobstructed view of a person’s mouth.
The inspiration for this product comes from my own life. I’m 14 years old and I was born with unilateral profound hearing loss. As a result, I personally know that the deaf and hard of hearing community rely heavily on lip reading and viewing facial expressions to communicate with others. While we undeniably need masks to stay safe during the pandemic, an unfortunate side effect is that it has become much harder for the deaf and hard of hearing community to easily communicate with others.
To help the deaf and hard of hearing amidst the challenges of the pandemic, Smile Guard was born. Our goal was to find a mask like the prototype that I made at home, a mask that will ensure customers are protected, but at the same time will allow them to read lips and facial expressions. Me and my family, began looking into the market and found the FaceView Mask™ mask, by Face View, an KN95 certified with testing in progress for ASTM Class I - III standards and FDA approval which will allow for this mask to be used in a clinical setting, and with the added benefit of a fog-resistant clear window for improved communication. This mask enjoys the broad support of language interpreters as well as doctors, nurses, dentists, hygienists, orthodontists, and other healthcare professionals seeking clearer communication and exceptional protection.
Finally, I want to make a difference and support my community and the hard of hearing in my country and the world. To that end, We plan to donate masks to health professionals and educators in the community that need them most and we are very excited to have also partnered with the Starkey Hearing Foundation whose mission is to give the gift of hearing to people in need in the U.S. and around the world. That is why for every mask that Smile Guard sells, we will donate a percentage to the foundation, as well as 100% of all additional donations that we collect.
Come and join us on this journey!
Valentina Elias
Co-Founder