The Dawson Academy Blog

Ashamed of her unsightly smile, Micah didn’t feel pretty.  That, however, wasn’t even the worst of it.  “No one wants to be around the girl with ragged teeth,” she remarked about how difficult it was to make friends.  Bullied and harassed by her fellow classmates throughout high school, she would often cry herself to sleep worrying about the ridicule the next day would bring.   The teasing never stopped as her classmates resorted to cyber bullying, posting their cruel remarks online for all to see.

Tomorrow’s SMILES^®, a special program from the National Children’s Oral Health Foundation (NCOHF), was designed to help teens like Micah that desperately need dental care.  Through this innovative program sponsored by the Patterson Foundation, volunteer dentists provide pro bono services to promising at-risk teens in their community, restoring their self-esteem and encouraging them to take responsibility for their oral health. Tomorrow’s SMILES volunteer dentists also have access to generously donated products from Invisalign^® and Nobel Biocare™ (including Procera^®) to help restore the smiles of pre-screened, promising teens.

In return for receiving this life-changing care, participating teens Pay It Forward by sharing their newfound oral health knowledge through interactive oral health lessons with younger children in their community. Tooth decay is the #1 chronic childhood disease and it has reached epidemic proportions. Millions suffer in pain so severe, it inhibits their ability to eat, sleep and learn. Better access to oral health education can drastically reduce tooth decay as well as the financial and societal costs that result, which is why your support of this program is so important.

As you know, poor oral health can be devastating for an adolescent struggling to fit in and prepare for a successful future. Studies show that children with dental pain may be irritable, withdrawn, or unable to concentrate. This pain can affect test performance as well as school attendance. Suffering from the pain and embarrassment of her ugly smile, Micah lacked confidence and hope for a happy, successful future.

Her teacher and mentor at her local Alabama Boys & Girls Club had known Micah for several years and knew that she needed help. Micah was a bright student and worked well with all the children at the club, so her teacher reached out to the Tomorrow’s SMILES program for help.

As a Tomorrow’s SMILES teen, Micah no longer cries herself to sleep worrying about getting teased the following day.  Thanks to the generosity of a Dawson Academy dentist, Dr. Keith Calvert, she is currently receiving life-changing dental care, and soon will have a restored smile and renewed confidence.  With hope and excitement about her future, Micah has this to say about her career goals and wanting to become a teacher, “I can’t wait to have my teeth fixed so that people can hear what I say instead of being distracted by my teeth”.

You can help transform a teen’s needless pain and suffering into a happy, beautiful smile and the promise of a brighter future by volunteering for Tomorrow’s SMILES. Visit www.TomorrowsSMILES.org or email Brenda Woodington at bwoodington@ncohf.org to learn more about this life-changing program!