The Washington Donated Dental Services (DDS) program helps people like Jerry, 72, a veteran who served in the Army as a combat medic from 1964-1967. Following his military service, he returned to Washington, where he had grown up. Jerry has faced numerous health challenges over the years, including non-Hodgkin lymphoma, requiring a bone marrow transplant a decade ago. More recently, he was diagnosed with cancer that had metastasized into his bones. Still a fighter, he has faced these challenges with a positive attitude.
Before receiving the needed cancer treatment, however, Jerry needed to receive dental clearance. With four broken teeth, this jeopardized his treatment. Unfortunately, Jerry was unable to afford the necessary dental care to resolve this issue. Living on a fixed Social Security benefit, he struggles to make ends meet, and the needed treatment seemed out of reach.
This all changed when Dr. Duane Jones, a DDS volunteer dentist and member of the Dental Lifeline Network • Washington Leadership Council, stepped in to help. Working alongside an oral surgeon, who extracted four teeth, Dr. Jones conducted one restoration and installed a full upper denture and a partial lower denture, donated by a DDS volunteer dental laboratory. Thanks to the incredible generosity shown by these volunteers, Jerry was able to restore his dental health, and begin cancer treatment.
