Penulis Mattie, from Kentucky, lives with several health issues that cause her extreme pain on a daily basis. She has a degenerative disc and a bone spur in her back, and these problems coupled with several broken and missing teeth left Mattie hard-pressed to grin with confidence.
After she had a heart attack in 2011, Mattie was forced to retire from her job but was still able to keep up with her monthly expenses. Although she was able to make end’s meet, there was no money leftover to pay for the extensive dental treatment she needed.
Mattie found Donated Dental Services (DDS) and was soon sitting in a volunteer dentist’s office for a consultation. Dr. Gregory Cecil, who would soon oversee Mattie’s care, signed up for the program through the Kentucky Dental Association and agreed to donate his services to help restore Mattie’s oral health. The coordinator also worked with oral surgeon Dr. Joseph Mascaro and Derby Dental lab to arrange donations of full upper and lower dentures to give Mattie a beautiful smile she felt comfortable showing off.
“It is very rewarding to work through DDS. It allows us to provide services that are sometimes desperately needed but not affordable, thereby improving not only a person’s health but their appearance and self-esteem. It is always a joy to see someone smile again!” – Dr. Cecil
“I’m not afraid to laugh and smile because it gave me confidence and I feel more comfortable now to smile in front of people.” – Mattie
DDS has donated $60,000 of care to underserved patients. To see how DLN • Kentucky has helped others like Mattie, view the state annual report!
The post DLN Success Story — KY Patient Able to Smile Bigger, Laugh Louder appeared first on Dental Lifeline Network.
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