Little Sheny is just 4 years old and a child of one of our Early Head Start families. During a home visit in May, WNCSource staff noticed that Sheny was somewhat withdrawn and not feeling well. Her mother explained that Sheny had a lot of mouth pain and had not been feeling well.
The WNCSource Health Specialist arranged a dental exam with Blue Ridge Health who referred Sheny to Reid & Reid Pediatric Dentistry. After a comprehensive oral exam, it was determined that she had extensive tooth decay and needed multiple fillings, 4 crowns, 2 pulpotomy (similar to a root canal) and 2 teeth extracted. Knowing that Sheny’s family had no insurance and could not afford the cost of treatment, WNCSource staff embarked on a fundraising campaign to help pay for the little girl’s surgery. Dr. Reid performed oral surgery on Sheny at Pardee Hospital in Hendersonville on June 16th.
Today, Sheny is feeling so much better and playing with her siblings! Her mouth pain is gone and her teeth and jawline have completely healed. Mom says that she is back to eating normally and even enjoys homemade popsicles again! Although Sheny will have follow-up visits with her dentist, thanks to this intervention, she will have years of smiles ahead! Having the dental surgery has literally changed the course of her life!
A big shout out of thanks to everyone who contributed to help make her surgery possible. Our special thanks to Pardee Hospital for their generous write-off of the operating room and anesthesia costs. Sheny’s family could never have afforded the cost of the $4,200 procedure. But thanks to the generosity of our donors, staff and board, Sheny was able to get the help she desperately needed and now has a bright, smile-filled future ahead!
