Dentists give fifth grader a reason to smile by volunteering their dental and orthodontic services through Smile for a Lifetime
Logan Palmer had no dentist but his mother knew that he had dental problems that needed immediate attention. She also knew she couldn’t afford to get help but along came Smile for a Lifetime.
Through a friend, she heard about Dr. John Scott, a general dentist who has been volunteering services to the local “Smile for a Lifetime (S4L)” of Stark County, Ohio chapter created by Drs. Bernard and Eimer in North Canton. She contacted the local chapter and applied for an orthodontic scholarship for Logan. On the application she wrote, “Logan sometimes struggles making friends and now that his permanent teeth are coming in so poorly, it is making his social life even harder.” Logan’s application came along with two letters of reference. A teacher at Minerva Elementary school stated that: “Logan often gets teased because of his teeth and the way he talks by the other kids. I would like to request that Logan be accepted by the Smile for a Lifetime Program and God bless all the dentists and orthodontists that have the heart to contribute to such a needed program.” The pastor of his church talked about Logan’s activity as a Cub Scout and his participation in the church’s “puppet ministry” program. He indicated that Logan was a good student with good grades and with dental and orthodontic help, he would be “destined for a great future.”
Logan was chosen as a finalist for the Smile for a Lifetime program but the severity of the 5th graders problem was not known until he was examined by Dr. Bernard as a S4L candidate. A panoramic x-ray showed 6 impacted extra or “supernumerary” teeth and one impacted permanent central incisor! Now surgical help was needed along with dental and orthodontic help. Fortunately, Dr. Bernard and Eimer’s chapter of S4L has had several dentists volunteer their services for their scholarship candidates. Dr. Bernard, Dr. John Scott, a general dentist and Dr. Dave Ash, an oral surgeon met at Dr. Ash’s office to review Logan’s CBCT radiograph and decided which teeth to remove and which to bring in with surgery and orthodontics. Dr. Ash stated that: “In my 28 years of oral surgery, I have never seen anyone with the number of extra and impacted teeth that Logan has.”
Dr. John Scott sums up the feeling of all three dentists who will be helping Logan by saying, “I am involved in a program that forever changes a young child’s future. Beyond the beautiful smile, it is the psychological changes that stand out the most. I am in a profession that is willing to set aside financial gain and work as a team for the betterment of those in need and I am honored to say that I am affiliated with the Smile for a Lifetime program.”
Many S4L applicants face social bullying and are teased and often ignored because of their smiles. S4L is a national non-profit organization that serves over 1000 young people annually through 150 chapters across North America. Each chapter is funded and run by a local orthodontist who believes in giving back to their communities by changing the life of a child through the gift of a smile who might not otherwise be able to afford braces. Drs. Bernard and Eimer in North Canton have been serving with S4L for over three years, giving the gift of a smile to 20 children to date.
Click HERE to link to apply for a S4L scholarship through Drs. Bernard and Eimer in Stark County, Ohio or, if you live outside the region and would like to check for a chapter in your area, please visit http://www.s4l.org.
