I searched the BNC, and here are the results.

Ignoring cases like "smile to verb", "smile to oneself" or "smile to the side", I've been able to find 4 examples only.

In COCA, there are 15 examples only. I'd say it's pretty rare.

The OED does say that smile to somebody is possible, cf. "2a. To look *on*, *upon*, *at*, or *to* a person with a smile or pleasant expression. Also with advs., as *back*, *down*, *over*, *up*."

1749   T. Smollett tr. A. R. Le Sage Gil Blas IV. xii. xiii. 223   At these words of my god-daughter, I smiled to her father.

Now, there is another interesting expression, "to smile at/for/to the cameras".