Vista Community Clinic has a new program called BRACES: Building Respect and
Community, Enriching Smiles. The program provides braces for children who have been identified by the Clinic’s Dental staff as having a serious need for braces but whose parents do not have the means to pay for the dental work.
The children and their parents must apply through a formal process to ensure the child’s need and to verify the family’s income. As part of the process the children are required to write an essay telling us why the braces are important to them and must agree to do volunteer work during their enrollment in BRACES.
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Please take a minute to read some of the reasons children and teens so desperately want braces; it will touch your heart to read the words and know what an impact you can make on a child’s life.
“There are many reasons I want braces, one reason is because I love to laugh and right now I hold back from laughing because I’m embarrassed to show my teeth.” Jessica, age 13
“My teeth are really ugly! At school I won’t eat because I can’t chew properly and kids will just stare at my mouth. I think getting braces will help my self-esteem!” Brad, age 12
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Crooked and crowded teeth are hard to clean and maintain. This may contribute to conditions that cause not only tooth decay but eventual gum disease and tooth loss. Other orthodontic problems can cause abnormal wear of tooth surfaces, excess stress on supporting bone and gum tissue, or misalignment of the jaw joints with resultant chronic headaches or pain in the face or neck.
When left untreated, many orthodontic problems become worse. Treatment by a specialist to correct the original problem is often less costly than the additional dental care required to treat the more serious problems that can develop in later years.
For a donation of $3000 you can give a child the smile of a lifetime.
For more information about BRACES or any other Vista Community Clinic programs and services, please call Betsy Heightman at 760-631-5000 x 1139 oremail at betsy@vistacommunityclinic.org
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Vista Community Clinic’s Donor Privacy Policy
Vista Community Clinic will not share donor information including name, address, and phone number with outside vendors, agencies or individuals. All donor information is maintained in a secure database with access granted only to specific individuals.
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