Restoring Confidence, One Smile at a Time
With volunteer services and donated supplies, Give Back a Smile restores the smiles of those who have dental injuries as a result of domestic or sexual violence
Many victims of domestic abuse, in addition to having their lives turned upside down, end up stuck with broken smiles in need of extensive repair. After moving his practice from California to Oregon, Dr. John Sullivan—a volunteer member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry Charitable Foundation's (AACDCF) Give Back a Smile program—noticed that some of his patients who were victims of abuse found it difficult both to accept that there was charitable care available to meet their needs and that they deserved the care and compassion being offered to them. "We’ve had to consider not just the abuse that the patients have gone through, but the neglect and surrender to their condition that has been a result of the abuse," he shared.
Give Back a Smile is the brainchild of past American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry President Dr.Wynn Okuda, who, realizing a need in his community, started the program in 1999 to help domestic violence survivors whose smiles had suffered from an abusive attack. Over the past 20 years, Give Back a Smile has restored the smiles of more than 1,800 people through constant outreach and awareness.
“The issue of domestic violence is a significant social epidemic and, for many, very hard to talk about,” explained Lisa Fitch, Director of the AACDCF. "It's pretty amazing to be part of an organization that is willing to play a part in helping people who have experienced unthinkable violence."
A Story Worth Sharing
Dr. John Kling, another Give Back a Smile volunteer, recalled that one particular survivor, also named Lisa, told him that she had hardly left the house in the last year or so.
“Four of her teeth were fractured off because of her abuser,” said Dr. Kling, who practices in Alexandria, VA. “When she first presented, she was unaware about what we could even do to help her. I think at first she thought we would give her some flimsy removable appliance that would replace a couple of teeth temporarily.”
But Dr. Kling planned to offer her a much better solution. After earning Lisa's trust, he partnered with a laboratory in the area to create a cemented porcelain bridge that would cover her front 6 teeth. The outcome of the procedure was heartwarming for both patient and clinician.
“She was in tears when we showed her what we were going to do—she didn’t know she would actually walk out with something cemented in her mouth that looked like natural teeth," said Dr. Kling. "She said to me, ‘You’ve given me my life back, and I can now go out into the world again.’ That’s how impactful it was for her. To be honest, it was as impactful to me, too.”
Raising Awareness
Exposing the issue of domestic violence helps not only dentists who can provide much-needed restorative treatment, but victims who may be unaware that treatment is even an option for them. Dr. Kling realized the effect of having conversations around domestic violence when he helped sponsor a domestic violence awareness forum at Northern Virginia Community College. "You never know, when you start that conversation, who needs to hear what you have to say," he said.
Give Back a Smile's mission is to increase national awareness of the program's services to make sure as many people as possible get the help they need. "We do this by reaching out to national, state, and local domestic violence organizations and give them program-related materials to share with people they service," Fitch explained. "Most people hear about our program through a domestic violence agency. And patients are so grateful to have finally found help that many want to pay it forward by increasing awareness, so other survivors don't have to wait as long to receive care."
Paying it Forward
Tokuyama Dental America recently launched Tokuyama Empowers, a program focused on corporate social responsibility, to make dental care accessible for people in need. Here, Tokuyama CEO Masa Ogata shares more about what it means for the company to give back.
Q: What can you tell us about Tokuyama's decision to support charity organizations like Give Back a Smile?
A: More than 114 million Americans lack dental coverage, and it is these uninsured and underserved populations that are more likely to suffer from untreated dental problems. Tokuyama Empowers, Tokuyama Dental America’s corporate social responsibility program, was created to bridge this gap and increase access to dental care for those in need through product donations.
Q: Why did Tokuyama Empowers choose to support Give Back a Smile?
A: Give Back a Smile’s services are life-changing, helping victims of domestic and sexual violence restore their smiles so that every time they look into the mirror, they do not have to be reminded of the abuse they endured.
Q: How has Tokuyama Empowers supported this program so far?
A: Last year, Tokuyama Empowers donated more than $86,000 in dental products to Give Back a Smile, including Estelite Omega, a polychromatic esthetic composite system designed for anterior restorations with natural-looking results. Estelite Omega enabled Give Back a Smile volunteer dentists to deliver quality care through cosmetic dentistry, helping victims of abuse regain confidence and self-esteem.
Q: What are your thoughts about the dentists who volunteer to Give Back a Smile and the work they do?
A: Give Back a Smile volunteers are amazing people, donating their time and services to help those in need. We are grateful to be working with Give Back a Smile to make a lasting difference, and we hope to inspire more people and dental companies to join us on our mission to give back to the dental industry.
Lisa's Story
Watch as Dr. Kling's patient, Lisa, shares her story- from the abuse she experienced to when Dr. Kling restored her smile and changed her life.
To Get Involved...
Give Back a Smile is always in need of volunteers, with urgent calls for assistance currently in the Houston, TX, area and Hawaii. Click here to learn how you can become a volunteer.