It’s not every day you get to change someone’s life, but at Monarch Dental® in Euless, Texas, Lead Dentist Dr. Chaitra Shanthagowda (Dr. Gowda) and staff had that opportunity recently. Through the Community Smile Project (CSP), they were able to give patient Kaitlin Lovell a new smile, and a new outlook to go with it.
Kaitlin was born with a rare disease that she spent her childhood and teen years focusing on. During that time, she neglected her dental health to combat the disease and its symptoms. “Once I was able to make my teeth a priority, the damage was so severe I felt I would never catch up. I never wanted to smile or laugh because my teeth were so crooked,” says Kaitlin.
But Dr. Gowda and her team changed that when they nominated her for the CSP. Kaitlin’s treatment included deep scaling and root planning, resin fillings and multiple crowns – plus she also had her wisdom teeth extracted by affiliated Oral Surgeon Dr. Thota Gopikiran.
“It was a rewarding experience for me and my team to be able to make a difference in Kaitlin’s smile and life,” says Dr. Gowda. “She is an amazing person inside and out, and she truly deserves her new, beautiful and healthy smile.”
And it’s a smile for which Kaitlin is very grateful. “I could say ‘thank you’ a million times and it wouldn’t be enough,” notes Kaitlin. “I’m no longer ashamed. The confidence they have given me is tremendous. I laugh without covering my mouth, walk with my head held high, and I really, truly smile.”
