Six-year-old Christian came to Grace Medical Home’s Dental Center for an exam and treatment for tooth decay. The decay on his front teeth appeared so bad that his mother requested we pull them out. Our Dental Center Director, Michelle Lawton, explained to his mom that we try to save every tooth possible because the baby teeth roots guide in the permanent teeth and without them, it is harder to eat. After further explanation and education, his mother agreed to allow us to try and save the teeth.

When it came time for treatment, Christian was very nervous, but Michelle promised him if he sat still and was brave that once the area was numbed, it wouldn’t hurt at all. Michelle also noticed the Spiderman shoes he was wearing, so she promised him a special surprise for trusting her. He sat like a champ while his front teeth were repaired.

When they gave him the mirror to see his new smile, he exclaimed that Michelle was his new best friend and he was just so happy not to have black teeth anymore. Michelle presented him with a special electric toothbrush of his own because he said he did not own one. When he opened the bag and saw it was Spiderman, his smile lit up the room.

As he went to his other appointments at Grace that day, he proudly displayed his new smile for all to see. A smile goes along way.