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Restoring Shattered SmilesPosted Monday, September 10, 2007 to PROCEDURES > Smile Posted by The Original Anti-Aging & Cosmetic Surgery Magazine Give Back A Smile™ is a national humanitarian program helping to restore the shattered smiles and self-esteem of victims of domestic abuse, reports Holly O'Neill. A smile can make a face. It is commonly acknowledged that when you meet someone, the first two things they notice are your eyes and your smile. What if you are afraid to smile? Or ashamed of your smile? And what if. every time you look in the mirror, your broken smile reminded you of all the emotional and physical trauma that caused it. Bad enough if you are injured through an accident, but when an injury is sustained through domestic violence (often accompanied by emotional and psychological abuse) every smile can be a traumatic experience. In 1997 Hawaiian cosmetic dentist Dr Wynn Okuda presented a concept for a charitable program to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD)to help survivors of domestic abuse. "I really wanted to do something that was community related, that would give back to the community," he said. The program was introduced to the entire board in 1998 and Give Back A Smile™ was launched in May 1999.At this stage more than 700 AACD members have volunteered for the Give Back A Smile™ program. The program provides free cosmetic dental treatments to help restore the smiles of survivors of abusive relationships and with the restoration of a smile it can also help heal the emotional scars from the relationship. Beverly Hills cosmetic dentist Dr Patrick Cohen explained: "If you are missing teeth at the front of your mouth because you have been beaten up, you don't want to smile at people. You're scared to do it." Dr Okuda, National Chairman, agreed: "Women who have their teeth broken or fractured because of a domestic violence attack are tremendously affected psychologically as well. By reconstructing their smiles through this program, we are able to help these survivors heal and feel good about themselves once again." Women and men seeking to restore their shattered smiles call a toll free number and are linked with a program advocate, who arranges a screening appointment for their dental injuries to be assessed. The advocate makes sure the survivor has received counseling; if not they will be referred to a local domestic violence counseling program. Once the survivor is found eligible for the program, an AACD representative will find a dentist for them. The dentist provides time and services at no cost to the survivor to restore their smile. "It's a spectacular way to give something back to the community, to society. The impact on these women is just incredible," concluded Dr Cohen. Domestic Violence Statistics
The "Give Back A Smile" ProgramGive Back A Smile™ is modeled on a program already in place with the National Coalition Against Violence. FACE TO FACE is an organization where plastic surgeons correct scars of domestic violence survivors who are unable to afford treatment. As well as Give Back A Smile and FACE TO FACE, the American Society for Dermatological Surgery have created a program called S.C.O.R.E.S to remove unwanted tattoos or scars on the torso as a result of abusive relationships. If you would like more information about domestic violence, how to stop it, and how to support those who help stop it visit the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence homepage at www.ncadv.org. Who Is Eligible?
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