The Kentucky Donated Dental Services (DDS) Program helps people like Rolf, an 83-year-old veteran who lives in Meade County. He served for 21 years, first in the Army and later in the Army National Guard as a chemical specialist. After leaving the military, he continued to work for many years as a brick layer. In retirement, he worked seasonally at the local Army dining hall. Despite living with diabetes, hypertension, and cholesterol issues, Rolf stays active doing yard work and taking walks. His dental health, however, had deteriorated over the years. Many of his teeth had decayed, and his upper denture had broken. Receiving only a small Social Security benefit and Army pension, Rolf struggles to get by and the help he needed seemed beyond his reach.
This all changed when Rolf was referred to Dr. Brooke Sheldon, a DDS volunteer dentist who agreed to help. Dr. Sheldon provided prophylaxis treatment, conducted nine restorations, and fitted Rolf with a partial denture, and full upper denture, donated by the Smile Again Center, a DDS volunteer dental laboratory. Through this team’s combined efforts, Rolf received thousands of dollars in donated dental treatment, restoring his dental health and giving this veteran a new reason to smile.
“The Smile Again team enjoys giving back; we are constant contributors to the Dental Lifeline Network and have been for years. It has been a great pleasure for the team and I to bring smiles to those most in need.” – Stephen DePirro, Smile Again Center Prosthetic Director.
