A good friend described a program to me which is sponsored by the YMCA. Alliance Training Program trains women who have been on welfare in the skills they need so that they can re-enter the workforce. The programs last for several months.
When a woman successfully completes the training, she is given a suit in which to interview from “The Bottomless Closet,” a charity to which women donate business clothes. When the participant gets a job, she is given several more outfits of clothing appropriate for her new job.
A problem that came to my attention was that many of these women have had minimal or no dental care in their lives. They have missing and/or broken front teeth. Many have been victims of domestic abuse. They are self-conscious about their appearance and are hesitant to smile or make eye contact. This makes it more difficult for them to interview successfully and get a job.
I decided that I would be willing to donate services, including removable prosthetics (dentures and partials) to replace teeth for some of these women, and Smiles for Success was perfect for their needs. I examined 12 candidates sent to me by the Y Alliance as women who needed dental care. All of them needed care, but four of the women were in great need, exhibiting teeth that were broken, decayed, and diseased. Two of the women sobbed uncontrollably before I could even complete the examination when they found out that someone would actually consider treating them. The youngest was only 21.
Here are two of my success stories ...
Debra Vigo is an outgoing 36-year-old woman who was ashamed to smile because her teeth were in deplorable condition. The uppers were hopeless as were the lower posteriors. Debra enjoyed taking part in various church social activities, but said she would never smile because she was ashamed of her teeth. We extracted the hopeless teeth and placed an upper denture and lower partial denture. Debra did very well, only coming in for two adjustments. She later sent me a note saying that she took part in a charity fashion show, and for the first time, she could smile at the audience while helping with the fundraiser.
Before & After
Rosyln Givens is a trim and well-groomed 44-year-old woman who had eight remaining teeth with advanced periodontal disease. She was working at a card shop, but said the manager would only let her do restocking because he was ashamed of her appearance. The teeth were extracted, and complete dentures were fabricated. Rosyln cried with joy when I delivered the dentures. She was ecstatic with the improvement in her appearance. Shortly afterward, she was promoted at her job and is now training for a managerial position.
