Domestic violence victims get help from cosmetic dentists

Victims of domestic violence are getting help in healing from cosmetic
dentists.

Susan Kauffman has a beautiful smile, but it wasn’t always that way. She says she endured decades of physical abuse growing up and later in life.

“I had teeth missing in the bottom and the back that had been knocked out,” she said. “I was in crisis, I thought the only hope for me was to have all of them pulled and
have dentures.”

Instead, she credits dentist Sam Sadati with saving her smile. He said, “She had a lot of teeth that were missing and I could tell it wasn’t because of periodontal disease, I could tell it was because of a direct hit.”

Sadati is one of more than 800 dentists around the country volunteering their services through a program called “Give Back a Smile.” Many of them think that it’s their fault and they are shy and timid and embarrassed.

Kauffman says Sadati gave her more than a new smile — he restored her self-esteem.

“When I was done, finished, and they gave me the mirror, I was just overjoyed.
I’m crying. The staff is crying, staff’s crying. It was a gift,” she said.

For more information go to www.givebackasmile.com or call 800-773-GBAS (4227).