A Tucson wildland firefighter and an HVAC technician were announced as the recipients of the 2019 Arizona Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons’ Second Chance program. Isaiah, 39, and Dan, 49, were selected out of 700 local applicants to receive these life-changing smile makeovers—a full-arch restoration procedure that typically costs upwards of $50,000—completely free of charge. This is the third year Drs. Robert Wood, Nicholas Coles, and Negin Saghafi have offered their Second Chance program. The program gives individuals who are suffering from poor oral health and do not have the means to afford critical dental treatment an opportunity to apply for a brand-new smile.
Isaiah, a local hero, not only risks his life to protect the community but also does everything he can to provide for his family, including his two children. Isaiah is currently missing eight teeth, and his other teeth are decayed. Whether Isaiah is fighting fires before they reach a town or helping others to evacuate, his dangerous job requires confidence and strength. He said in his application that his broken smile takes a toll on his confidence: “I am about to have a baby boy, and there is nothing I would want more than to have a huge smile in photos with my beautiful baby boy.”
Dan, who owned Johnny’s Market in west Tuscon with his wife, now works as an HVAC technician. He is missing more than half of his teeth, and the few that remain are loose, twisted, and extremely sensitive. He has found it difficult to clearly communicate with customers and co-workers at his job, and he also has difficulty eating, sleeping, and smiling because of the pain. In his application, Dan said: “Restoring my smile is important to me because my bad teeth [have] impacted my overall health, my job, and my relationships with my family and friends. I feel like my family and friends are embarrassed of me, and I am even embarrassed of myself. I look in the mirror and I am disgusted by my image. I feel like I have let down my wife and kids because of what my teeth have become.”
“We are thrilled and honored to have the opportunity to give back to Isaiah and Dan, who both work hard for others in our community,” Dr. Wood said. “They deserve to smile with confidence, and we cannot wait to go on this life-changing journey with them.”
Arizona Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons has partnered with restorative partner Dr. Adam Dalesandro from Drs. Dalesandro & Derickson, Dr. James Raymond from Skyline Dental, Dental Prosthetics, Exceptional Dental Arts, and Straumann Dental Implant System to give Isaiah and Dan the smiles they deserve. When the procedure is complete, they will each have a full set of permanent, fully-functioning, natural-looking teeth.
Follow our Facebook page for updates on Isaiah’s and Dan’s treatment.
