Volunteering Heroes

Michael Moran (left) and Nicholas Mann (right)

Volunteering heroes Oceanic Dental Laboratories

The volunteers of Healing Smiles work tirelessly to help women who are survivors of domestic abuse access pro-bono dental treatment in order to improve their oral health, and rehabilitate their smiles. But it would not be possible without generous sponsors, such as Oceanic Dental Laboratories.

As proud sponsors of the Australian Dental Health Foundation, Oceanic Dental Laboratories are well known within WA dental circles for their generosity. The Healing Smiles team was thrilled when Oceanic also decided to sponsor their cases late last year.

The Oceanic Dental team committed to donating $7,000 worth of dental laboratory support for Healing Smiles’ patients.

Clinical coordinator of Healing Smiles, Dr Jacinta Vu, says the $7,000 worth of dental laboratory support will be able to help between 25 to 40 patients, depending on the treatment they require.

“Without the generosity of Oceanic Dental, we would have to approach sponsors for money or approach other laboratories,” she says. “We and the patients of Healing Smiles are incredibly grateful for Oceanic

Dental’s support. They are very accommodating to our requests and very easy to get in touch with.”

“At times, it’s easy to get caught up in what we’re doing day-to-day,” says Oceanic Dental Laboratories’

Michael Moran. “As a dental laboratory, we rarely are involved in the patient experience outside of looking at dental impressions.

“The team at Healing Smiles do work that helps remind us of what it means to smile, and to be grateful to have one. Smiling connects people and helps people in more ways than most people realise; for example, finding work is easier with a smile.

“We have found the team delivering Healing Smiles to be generous and genuine about making a difference in a space that rarely gets a look in, and we are grateful to be part of that. We would encourage anyone to participate in any way they can.”

Jacinta urges potential volunteers and sponsors to get on board. “This is a really wonderful cause,” she says. “We are making a huge difference in these women’s lives. They are so grateful to have their smile back. When you meet the patients from where they start to where they finish, it’s like they are a completely different person. They are happy to smile again.”

Go to healingsmiles.com.au for further details about Healing Smiles or to oceanicdentallab.com.au for Oceanic Dental Laboratories.