Shana’s Story | More Than a Smile Restored

Shana lost her dental insurance because she couldn't afford the $300 monthly premium to keep it. She was a divorced mother raising teenagers, working two jobs, and caring for her 90-year-old grandmother, so dental care had to wait. While searching online for an affordable dentist, she found Healing Hands Health. Her first visit was in December 2021.

"I walked in expecting a dental appointment, but I found something more," Shana said. "The front office staff were smiling and genuinely happy. By the time I finished checking in, I was smiling too."

After a fall in early 2025 damaged her partial denture, Shana returned to Healing Hands Health to begin an extensive restorative phase of care. An exam revealed that years of dental problems, combined with the injury, meant her remaining upper teeth could not be saved. Through Tennessee Safety Net funding, Healing Hands Health removed ten teeth and developed a comprehensive treatment plan that included healing, fabrication, fittings, and adjustments for a full upper denture and lower partial denture, care that would have otherwise been out of reach.

The process from extractions to receiving her new smile took eight months. "It is humbling to go that long without teeth," she said. "Getting my smile back has been uplifting. I can eat the foods I missed, smile with confidence, and feel like myself again."

Lead RDA Crystal shared, "Shana's treatment took time, but seeing her smile again makes it worth while. She can eat comfortably, smile with confidence, and enjoy life without dental pain."

"At Healing Hands, I'm Shana, not just a number. They feel like family."

Through Tennessee Safety Net funding, uninsured Tennesseans like Shana receive comprehensive dental care that relieves pain, restores healthy smiles, and improves quality of life.