All Posts

Taking Back Her Smile and Freedom

By: Nancy Lashley Sullivan 

Chair, Board of Trustees, American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry Charitable Foundation


Paige drove four hours from the high desert to arrive at our small dental practice nestled against the hills cradling the southern Willamette Valley in Oregon. She had survived forty years of inexplicable violence and - against all odds - had left her entire life behind, including her smile. Oregon is a haven of domestic violence so there is no shortage of survivors qualified to have their smiles - and their lives - restored through the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) Charitable Foundation’s “Give Back A Smile”. As long time members of the AACD, we’d earned a reputation as the “extreme Give Back A Smile dentist”, always ready for the next smile to be revealed and the next life renewed.

Paige arrived that day with only gums, barely surviving, trying to eat and speak and exist without dentures. It’s such an easy fix to fabricate a beautiful set of dentures, but what she said as we spoke with her at that first visit haunts us still. “I am so excited that I’ll finally be able to leave the house!,” she said. She went on to explain as punishment for a failed attempt at taking her life back years earlier, her abuser had taken away her dentures and with that her freedom. More than any fancy cosmetic smile makeover we’ve done, we will always remember her tears of joy the day she took her smile, and freedom, back.

Give Back A Smile has restored the smiles of survivors of domestic and sexual violence for 20 years, working with over 1700 clients and delivering in excess of $16 million dollars in treatment. Our contribution as just one small volunteer practice in Oregon is relatively small, but if all of us work together, combining our talent and skill, there is no limit to the change we could make, right in your own backyard. If you’re looking for more purpose in your profession, learn more about how you can restore lives at www.givebackasmile.com.

Nancy Lashley Sullivan
Nancy Lashley Sullivan
Chair, Board of Trustees, American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry Charitable Foundation

Related Posts

Intervention With Shield Force Plus for Patients with Silent Reflux

Both silent reflux—also known as Laryngopharyngeal reflux or LPR—and gastroesophageal reflux or GERD, can take a toll on the hardest substance in our bodies, our enamel. Chronic or frequent bouts of backflow from gastric contents with a low pH create an erosive environment and can steadily remove minerals such as hydroxyapatite from the teeth.

The Evolution of Dental Composites: A Look at Modern Materials in Practice

For years, dentists have relied on traditional composite resins to restore teeth with natural-looking results. But as dental materials continue to evolve, so do the experiences of both clinicians and patients. Today, innovative materials are changing the way we approach restorative dentistry, making the process smoother, more efficient, and more predictable.

Minimalism and Sustainability in Dentistry

Who remembers the KonMari method craze that started in 2019? Minimalism swept across our public consciousness in the 2000s and 2010s, crystallizing in the Netflix series showing Marie Kondo’s rigorous practice of purging anything that doesn’t “spark joy.”