Helping Our Community One Smile at a Time

Imagine not being able to chew your food because you are in constant pain, not ever wanting to smile because you are embarrassed, having to miss work because of toothaches, or even being unemployable due to missing teeth. Unfortunately, Kimberly, like so many patients at Interfaith Dental Clinic, had a similar experience prior to treatment.

Kimberly is not only a patient of Interfaith Dental Clinic, she is a changed woman. For most of her life, poor oral health and covering her mouth when she smiled or turning her head to laugh had become a way of life – something she had just learned to live with.

About a year ago, a crown fell off of one of her molars and she knew that she must address it because she has a heart condition. While she had neglected her oral care, she had not neglected to treat her heart condition. Fortunately, she did know that what was going on in her mouth could affect her heart, which really scared her. What also scared her was that at the time, she was a single mom. She had gone through a failed marriage and a failed business. She had been quoted thousands of dollars to fix her mouth and she knew that she couldn’t afford it. Kimberly spoke with a friend who does local mission work and she told her to contact Interfaith.

She was accepted into the program and that is where she began her journey. “I think the coolest thing was how dignified I felt when I came here because like so many, I was reluctant to reach out for help. I had always helped others, not the other way around. Everyone from the front desk all the way back was so amazing. I hear that all the time now that I have such a pretty smile. I never get tired of it!” states Kimberly.

So now she is brushing, flossing and keeping her check ups. She is putting aside money to make sure that she never goes back to square one. She also decided that she can’t have this beautiful healthy smile and not have a healthy body, so she has transitioned from a size 14 to a size 4! “When you feel good about yourself, you can accomplish so much more.”

Oral health is an important area of healthcare that is often overlooked by society but it contributes equally to the overall health, well being and employability of an individual. Interfaith Dental Clinic provides quality, affordable dental care for Middle Tennessee’s low income, working individuals, their children and elderly. The program is comprehensive and focuses on the immediate need for care, and the necessary education and behavior modification required to maintain good oral health.

Interfaith Dental Clinic would not be able to help those in need without the support of volunteers and the generous donations received. Over 300 dental professionals and community volunteers donate their time and talents to Interfaith Dental Clinic annually. In the past fiscal year, $1 out of every $4 of dental services provided was produced by a volunteer. This service saved the clinic over $445,000 in expenses.

In addition to the volunteer support, the donations received from the community help ensure that patients are able to continue to receive affordable care. In fact, eighty-five cents of every dollar raised goes directly to providing patient care.

Check it out! During the month of September, over 70 dentists in Middle Tennessee have volunteered their time to Do the Bright Thing and whiten teeth for a donation of $175 to the Interfaith Dental Clinic. The event provides individuals with the opportunity to purchase a professionally, custom-made, take home whitening system. Because the dentists are volunteering their time, 100% of the proceeds go directly to fund the Interfaith Dental Clinic’s services for the working poor and elderly. For a list of participating dentists, click here or call (615) 329-4790.