Giving Back a Smile

Seventy-five percent of women in an abusive relationship receive battering to the face and head, yet most are unable to pay for treatment to repair their injuries. This sobering statistic reflects why the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) founded the Give Back A Smile program in 1999 in conjunction with the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Since then, more than 900 AACD members have volunteered their time and expertise to restore the smiles and the lives of domestic violence survivors. To date, they have completed the treatment of more than 450 survivors nationwide, for a total of $3.5 million worth of dentistry in time and materials. Another 364 cases are in progress.

Dr. Lawrence Addleson, local dentist and spokesperson for the organization, firmly believes repairing someone’s smile offers a good start in helping repair the individual’s life. “A lot of survivors of domestic abuse have low self-esteem,” he says. “If we restore their smile, it helps give them the confidence to change their lives.”

Dr. Addleson witnessed this transformation firsthand in one recent survivor whose mouth he restored, a San Diego woman who had escaped her abusive ex-husband. “When we first saw her, she had given up taking care of herself. She had really been through a lot,” he recalls. “We have a series of photos from start to finish, and you can see the change in her eyes and her smile and certainly in the way she presented herself.”

Spreading the word about the program to survivors of domestic violence is one of his chief goals. “There are a lot of survivors who don’t seek help because they are embarrassed or traumatized,” he says. “But more than 900 dentists are just waiting for referrals so they can help.”

Money for the organization is collected through an annual fund-raiser and silent auction at the AACD Scientific Session in May. Participating San Diego dentists are also targeting June for a “Whitening Challenge” in which people can get their teeth whitened, with the proceeds going to Give Back A Smile.

In 2001, the American Society of Association Executives awarded AACD and the Give Back A Smile program the highly coveted Summit Award in recognition of their efforts to improve the quality of life in America.

Says Dr. Addleson, “The AACD is an educational and examination academy, but I feel that the Give Back A Smile program is our heart and soul. It puts us in touch with humanity on a much greater level by giving people an opportunity to turn their lives around—or at least their smiles.”

Those interested in donating money or referring a patient to Give Back A Smile may visit the Web site: aacd.com/givebackasmile.

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