Penny, 73, lives alone in Fairbanks. A few years ago, she suffered a traumatic brain injury and now has difficulty with her speech. She also had a mild back injury that is limiting her quality of life.
In addition, Penny’s oral health was in need of attention. She had two full dentures, however the lower denture did not fit properly and she often found it painful to eat and difficult to maintain a healthy diet.
Penny survives on a small Social Security benefit and her expenses often exceed her limited income. Unfortunately she could not afford the dental treatment she needed. It seemed she had nowhere to turn for help.
How DDS Helped
Fortunately, Penny was referred to the Donated Dental Services (DDS) program and she was linked with three generous volunteers.
• Dr. Heather A. Willis.
• Oral Surgeon Dr. Clay Van Leeuwen.
• Nobel Biocare Lab
“Overall, the staff are thrilled and excited every time we have a new DDS patient. We’ve had such a rewarding experience with the DDS patients that the staff are almost begging me to do more. We get to meet some very interesting patients who, for the most part, understand and appreciate the value of the dentistry we’re providing them.” —Dr. Heather A. Willis, DLN • AK Leadership Council Chair and DDS Volunteer Dentist
Learn more about volunteering or to learn about DDS in your state, visit our state pages.
