A healthy smile creates higher confidence
Adults in the US who don’t have good oral health believe it negatively impacts their overall well-being.1 In fact, almost half (45%) indicate they don’t smile often, and about 4 in 10 report a lack of confidence and low self-esteem.2 Consequently, oral health can influence a person’s quality of life. It can even impact workers' job performance, colleague relationships, and career growth.3 Many say they avoid speaking up in meetings because they’re self-conscious.4 So, access to affordable dental care is so important not only to one’s health but also to one’s happiness.5
Many adults cannot afford dental care, especially our community’s most vulnerable residents.6 Dental Lifeline Network (DLN) provides free, comprehensive dental care to those who need treatment and cannot get public aid. Their patients are veterans, people with disabilities, the elderly, and those who are medically fragile. As a major donor to Dental Lifeline Network, Guardian has given more than 45,000 patients another chance at good oral health. These treatments come from local dentists, including many in the Guardian network.
Dr. Ed Miller is an oral surgeon in Westchester, NY. He reconstructs jaws, conducts surgical root canal therapy, and provides dental implant placements, among other surgeries.7 “In America,” he says, “a lot of people fall through the cracks. If you have a job and you have access to a dental plan through your health insurance, then you can get care. But it’s hard to get a job if your teeth don’t help you make a good first impression. If you don’t have that benefit, or you don’t have much money, your access to dental care is very limited.”
His work with DLN has changed the physical and emotional wellness of many patients. “One of the patients I treated was unhealthy, reclusive, and estranged from her daughter,” he explains. “She was very embarrassed of her teeth; she needed almost all her teeth out. It took us six visits to treat her and every time she came in she was scared. Many people are emotional and nervous when they get dental work done because of poor care in their past. When we were finished, she had the confidence to try to work on her relationship with her daughter again. Now, she has a great smile, and she looks healthy again.”
Dr. Jessica deSouza is a dentist in Manhattan. After beginning her career in finance, and realizing that she wanted to pursue a career in healthcare, she enrolled in Columbia University’s Post Baccalaureate program, through which she volunteered at New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. She rotated through the Dental Department. “I felt like that was a better fit for me because I had always been interested in dental health,” she says. But more importantly, “a lot of communities don’t have access to good dental care. If someone doesn’t have good health insurance, they may lose a tooth that could have been saved. I saw this occurring, and there are a variety of treatment options that patients may not know about. I felt like I could make a difference.”
Educating patients about oral care is the foundation of Dr. deSouza’s dental career. Her DLN patients are on a fixed income or unable to qualify for insurance. Sometimes, even if they have state insurance, it doesn’t cover certain services that the patient truly needs. “In most cases, they are not getting treatment that they really want,” she says. “They might be missing a lot of teeth and can’t eat well which affects their nutrition. There are many health repercussions if someone can’t chew thoroughly. Or they’re missing front teeth, then they aren’t presenting themselves in society in the way they would wish.” Dr. deSouza works to create the most comprehensive plan as possible in case the patient is unable to receive dental work afterwards. She’s seen dramatic changes in her patients; many of them show an increase in self-esteem by wanting to smile more, and generally feel more confident.
“It doesn’t take a lot of time to volunteer,” says Dr. deSouza. “We all have busy schedules, but you can help one patient at a time.” Dr. Miller agrees. “I can do a little bit,” he says. “If everybody does a little bit, things can get better.”