Syreeta Long always felt self-conscious about the gap between her front teeth. The single mom knew she had other problems with her teeth, but she didn't have the insurance or extra money to pay for the dental work she desperately needed.
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Then a friend told her about a program that helps women like her get free dental work and the confidence they need to go from welfare to work.
After 14 fillings and a repaired gap, Long's confidence is back. And she's working.
"Oh my gosh,” she said. "It's like I feel like I'm a different person. I feel like a completely different person. I'm smiling. I'm cheesing for no reason at all.”
Long is one of nearly 140 women in Oklahoma to benefit from Smiles for Success, a national program that pairs volunteer dentists with women on welfare who can't afford dental care and are trying to rejoin the workforce. Long's dentist, Dr. Tamara Berg, is the program's director in Oklahoma.
The Oklahoma program began in 2002, Berg said. Though the program involves mostly metro-area dentists, clients have come from as far away as places like Cordell and Burns Flat.
Educators, social workers and others can refer women to the program. No specific income or needs guidelines are set, Berg said, but the women must be in a job training program.
Berg sees clients who don't have the confidence to find a job because their teeth are neglected, broken or missing.
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Want to participate?
The Smiles for Success program is open to women on welfare who are trying to reenter the work force. Clients must receive a referral from someone in their job training program. For applications or more information, go to www.smilesforsuccess.org.
Oklahoma dentists participating in the program during the past three years are Tamara Berg, Mary Casey, Jennifer Griffin, Lori Holden, Krista Jones, Mary Martin, Kesa McConnell, Laura Ousley, Karen Rattan and Susan Whiteneck.
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Thank you for joining our conversations on NewsOK.com. We encourage your discussions but ask that you stay within the bounds of our terms and conditions. Please help us by reporting comments that violate these guidelines. To review our rules of engagement, go to Commenting and posting policy.
Leave a comment. Log in below or sign up (it's free).Editor's note: It is not our intent to offer comments on crime or fatality stories.