LAS CRUCES – Las Cruces’ Valerie Johnson said she felt like she had won the lottery on Tuesday after it was announced she would be getting a new smile.
Johnson attended the event in the Oral & Facial Surgery of New Mexico thinking she was a finalist for the fourth annual Smile Again program. However, everyone else in the lobby knew she was the winner and the excitement was felt when the surprise was revealed.
Johnson was accompanied in the front row by her daughter Shania and grandson Aaron. Las Cruces councilors Tessa Abeyta-Stuve and Gill Sorg attended to show their support for the program and local businesses that are giving back to the community.
The Smile Again program brings together a local dentist, oral surgeon, and implant company to donate an entire arch restoration worth approximately $ 70,000. The operation involves removing all of the person’s teeth and placing dental implants, which serve as anchors for a fixed full denture. The bespoke teeth are designed to look natural.
More:Mesilla Valley Community of Hope receives $ 2.5 million through the Bezos Day 1 Families Fund
Applicants often have missing or failing teeth and cannot afford a restoration. The multi-stage process is expected to be completed in summer 2022.
“We try and (announce the recipient) around Christmas, around Thanksgiving, because it has a lot to do with gratitude and charity and volunteering and donations,” said oral surgeon Bryce Heiner. “But if we really understand Christmas, it has more to do with sacrifice than anything else. And so Valerie – as a mother – sacrificed much of her own care for her children. “
Johnson is the mother of three daughters and works as a loan officer for Sun City Finance. She said that her teeth were moving unnaturally in her mouth and that she had been delaying them for a long time.
She works in customer service and often interacts with people. Wearing a mask because of COVID-19 is something she said she liked to hug because it hides her teeth.
“(On my daughter’s wedding pictures) it looks like I’m pissed off, and I’m not pissed off. I’m happy, I just didn’t mean to smile, “said Johnson.
With the reconstructed smile comes trust, she hopes.
Information about the Smile Again program kept popping up on social media, Johnson said, so she decided to apply without really knowing what to expect.
According to Heiner, there have been up to 600 applicants in the past, but this year only 60 applicants have applied. He explained that people will be screened for health problems and then personal check-ups will be done. By the time they eliminated the people who couldn’t handle the surgery, Heiner said they still have 10 applicants. The final selection is random.
More:The home of Clara Belle Williams: The title of an asset gives peace to the family after the death of the father
Heiner, along with local general practitioner Kim Martin and a lab specialist, will donate time and resources to give Johnson her brand new smile.
Shania said her mother was always there for her three daughters and never complained about their school and sports activities. She said it would take a lot to hold Johnson back, but she had already mentioned restoring her teeth.
“She’s already a strong woman, but I think that will likely make her unstoppable,” Shania said.
A family portrait is definitely in the future for Johnson.
Last year recipient: “Life Changing:” Las Cruces single mom receives $ 50,000 smile
Leah Romero is the trend reporter for Las Cruces Sun-News and can be reached on Twitter at 575-418-3442, [email protected] or @rromero_leah.
Comments are closed.