A Fresh Start Complete with a New Smile
by TV Miskowski
When Anthony was accepted for dental care at SVdP, he felt that he was beginning to see the positive effects from his dedication to his sobriety and his faith.
Even though Anthony’s dental situation was difficult, it was far from a lost cause. All but six teeth had to be pulled, but he was given dentures that are so convincing that no one would guess he had any dental problems in the first place.
Anthony said the moment he saw his new smile was “indescribable.”
“I said, ‘thank you, Jesus.’ I just felt gratitude…I’m just very, very grateful,” he said.
After being sober for years, he started to realize the damage that drug addiction had done to his teeth. He had extensive tooth decay, and he knew he wouldn’t be able to afford the dental work he needed.
A community member referred Anthony to St. Vincent de Paul’s Delta Dental of Arizona Oral Health Center, which focuses on care for uninsured patients.
“I made calls to SVdP, and I was blessed enough to be able to get in,” he said.
Anthony feels he owes his new smile, and confidence, to Dr. Betzanahy Leyva, the dental clinic’s assistant dental director.
“Dr. Leyva has been with me every step of the way. She always made me feel so comfortable, and I've always been afraid of a dental office!” he said. “The people here, they make you feel just like you're human.”
The confidence that he has gained from his new smile has even allowed him to reconnect with his family after his addiction caused him to lose touch. He visited his mom and brother this year for the first time in 41 years!
“That’s just where my drug abuse took me. I was just a shell of a human. But now that I have God and Jesus in my life, it’s totally different.”
Anthony is approaching nearly four years sober, and he has a new lease on life thanks to his hard work. He still attends twelve-step meetings and attributes his sobriety to his faith. Currently, Anthony works in a rehab facility helping people new in their sobriety. He also works as a sponsor guiding people through the struggles of recovery. He finds purpose in his work, which wouldn’t have been possible without the positive self-esteem the dental clinic provided him with.
“I'm very, very fortunate,” he said. “Hopefully I make a change in some people's lives.”
