Marie, 49, lives with her boyfriend Charles in Kansas City. In her spare time, she enjoys crocheting and spending time with her grandchildren. Many years ago, Marie survived two strokes and one mild heart attack. She also has had several health challenges including osteopenia (low bone density), high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
Her dental health also needed some attention. In 2016, Marie had all her teeth removed but could not move forward with the rest of the recommended treatment plan. She lived edentulous ever since, which made eating very difficult. She had no means of obtaining dentures on her own. Marie survives on a small Social Security benefit and struggles to make ends meet and the necessary dental treatment seemed beyond her reach.
How DDS Helped
Fortunately, Marie was referred to the Donated Dental Services (DDS) program and was linked with two generous volunteers.
- Dr. Jim Ruse performed X-rays and cleanings and donated a full upper and lower denture.Midwest Dental Arts fabricated a full upper and lower denture at no cost.
- According to Dr. Ruse’s office, Marie was emotional when they did the first try-in with all the teeth. She was so excited!
“new smile that I haven’t had in years. I wear them every day. Dr. Ruse and his team are so loving and respectful. I enjoyed going there.”
—Marie, DDS Patient
“Our team thought Marie was the best and appreciated her cooperation. She was always on time, communicated well with us, and was very appreciative.”
—Dr. Jim Ruse, DDS volunteer
Learn more about volunteering or to learn about DDS in your state, visit our state pages.
