Janice’s Story
FIRST CHICAGO DENTIST
“GIVES BACK A SMILE”
USING MAN MADE ROOTS
TO DOMESTIC ABUSE VICTIM THROUGH
AACD NON-PROFIT
I wanted to alert you that on Thursday, 3/17/ 2008, Dr. Kevin Landers will be the first Chicago dentist to use man made roots to place teeth lost from domestic violence. Dr Landers is a participate in “Give Back a Smile”, a program developed by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence to help victims of domestic assault. Thursday, Dr. Landers will donate his surgical and cosmetic expertise to restore the collapsed smile of a local woman with missing and broken upper front teeth caused by years of domestic violence. Dr. Landers will be reconstructing this woman’s smile with “man made roots” and the latest in cosmetic veneers & crowns, that she may otherwise not have been able to afford.
The Patient: As a result of repeated incidents of domestic abuse, Janice lost her two front teeth and sustained damage to the remaining teeth in her smile. This damage to her mouth was a constant reminder to her and her two sons of their dangerous past and uncertain future. The effects of domestic violence don’t go away when the hitting stops, and her broken smile is her constant reminder.
In March 2008, Dr. Kevin Landers became Chicago’s first accredited cosmetic dentist to pass the five year accreditation program at the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, making him suitable to participate in The Give Back a Smile program. He charitably treats patients who allocate their savings for their families and are not able to afford quality dental care.
Since the inception of Give Back a Smile in 1999, 433 smile restorations of domestic abuse victims have been completed for a total dollar value of more than $3 million. After treatment, reminders of Janice’s violent past will be removed, a pivotal step that will help restore her dignity and set the stage for emotional healing.
The Procedure:
Dr. Kevin Landers is one of the up and coming GP surgical and high-end accredited cosmetic dentists in the Chicago area. He will be completing a complex full mouth reconstruction during this visit. After examining several restorative options, including bridges and dentures, Dr. Landers will be providing Porcelain crowns supported by dental implants, because her other broken teeth could not support a bridge and there was eminent danger of bone loss without stimulation to the jaw from the implants. The implants, donated by Nobel Biocare, are also both natural in appearance and the most permanent choice (minimal future maintenance costs).
If this is of interest, I’m happy to arrange for you to attend the procedure on Thursday and to see the patient’s final restoration, the first time she’s smiled in years. In addition to interviews with Dr. Landers and his patient I can also put you in touch with an executive from the Give Back a Smile Program and a local psychologist who specializes in the treatment of domestic abuse victims.
Lucretia’s Story
CHICAGO, – According to the American Institute on Domestic Violence, more than five million women are victims of domestic abuse each year. While the statistic is staggering, it fails to tell the abuse sufferer’s story, which often is both physically and emotionally damaging.
Lucretia Williams is among those five million women who suffered abuse from her significant other. Ms. Williams’ abuser knocked out her lower teeth.
This damage to her teeth and mouth were a constant reminder to her and her children of the dangerous past and uncertain future they had. Domestic violence effects do not go away when the hitting stops. This violence deeply affects all who have been exposed to it and they are reminded of it in many different ways – in this case with the grim condition of her teeth.
These days, she is turning her life around and regaining her confidence. One way she is accomplishing this is through the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry’s Give Back a Smile ProgramTM (GBAS), which helps restore the lives of domestic abuse survivors by providing dental care at no cost to the survivor.
Dr. Kevin Landers is the Chicago based dentist who charitably restored Ms. Williams damaged smile by replacing her lower teeth lost from the violent abuse.
Dr. Landers is an Accredited Cosmetic Dentist and GBAS volunteer since May 2006. Dr. Landers was internationally recognized for donating services of more than $50,000 and was honored with the Partners in Peace Award in April 2009.
Ms. Williams and Dr. Landers want women to know that there are options and that they can reclaim their lives. Ms. Williams stated, “It’s not easy, but you have to start inside and work your way out. I am blessed to have a wonderful group of people supporting me. I’m glad to have my smile back too, so I can help other women get the help they need and show that they can still smile after all that’s happened.”
Williams added, “I want my children to know that they will face adversity and they can overcome it.”
Williams was referred to the Give Back a Smile Program through her church, First Pentecostal Church of God. Dr. Rev. Christine Morris says, “Lucretia has taken a leadership role in our church to show that you can overcome life’s challenges and she is a model for our church that you can turn your life around.”
Dr. Landers says, “It’s a pleasure to charitably provide restorative care whereby giving her hope for a better tomorrow. After treatment, when she looks in the mirror, she will no longer be reminded of the violence. Removing the reminders of the trauma is a pivotal step that will help restore her self-esteem and will set the stage for emotional healing. Thank you Ms. Williams for your strength & selfless effort to raise the awareness of domestic violence.”
Thank You John, At Treasure Dental Lab! (Idaho Falls, ID), for all the beautiful Cosmetic crowns.
Thank You Nobel Biocare! For your kind donation of the dental implants.
Nina’s Story
Give Back A Smile Patient
With One less Memory of the Trauma
Our Give Back a Smile patient is a kind reserved person who is respectfully assertive. She came to our office with missing and chipped upper front teeth, fractured facial bone -with subsequent bite collapsed, and a high smile line. This trauma was a result of physical abuse. Her story is as follows;
Typical of many battered women, our Give Back a Smile patient slowly started to become victimized by the father of her children. She maintained a relationship with her two children’s father while raising them and endured years of abuse. When she described the trauma, she described in horrifying detail how her abuser would grasp the back of her head and repeatedly strike her in the mouth. As a result of repeated incidents of this physical abuse, our Give Back a Smile patient lost her two front teeth and sustained damage to the remaining front teeth that appear in her smile. *This damage to her teeth and mouth were a constant reminder to her and her children of the dangerous past and uncertain future they had. Despite myths to the contrary, the victim never desires domestic violence nor does its effect go away when the hitting stops. This violence deeply affects all who have been exposed to it and they are reminded of it in many different ways – in this case with the grim condition of her teeth.
Our Give Back a Smile patient allocates her savings for her family and is not able to afford quality dental care. It’s a pleasure to charitably provide restorative care & giving her hope for a better tomorrow. By means of dental implantology, we can actually replace the roots and teeth that she brutally lost. After treatment, when she looks in the mirror, she will no longer be reminded of the violence. Removing the reminders of the trauma is a pivotal step that will help restore her dignity and will set the stage for emotional healing.
In conclusion, I am happy to report; Our Give Back a smile patient has been free of this abusive relationship for well over three years. She has received counseling and is assertively the leader of her life and her family. She continues to be a positive influence in the life of her two sons. She is proud of her boys and shares that they are respected members in the United States Armed Forces.
*Italic Text contributed by Paul Popernik, MA: Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC)
Tammy’s Story
Tammy Is A True Survivor, She Is Amazing.
(Touching The Hearts Of Those Who Watch)
Lauren’s Story
Lauren is a young survivor who suffered abused from her boyfriend. Now separated from a bad situation, with the loving support and guidance from her grandmother, Lauren is now working and going to school.
We would like to hear from you regarding our charity. For those who feel passionate about helping victims of domestic violence, please contact our office or the AACD for more information.