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NEWS
The Glendale Star
December 9, 2021
Glendale dentist offering $1M in dental implants BY LAUREN SERRATO Glendale Star Staff Writer
A Glendale dentist is making his annual effort to help people find their smile to end the year by offering free dental services. Through Dec. 31, the Simply Implant Institute is offering Arizonans dental implant surgery, extractions and bone grafting at no cost. In the past, the institute only provided this service and cost savings as part of its monthly physician certification training sessions in which practicing dentists attend from around the country to learn the latest techniques in restorative and implant dentistry. “The past two years have been tough on people emotionally and financially,” Dentists with the Simply Implant Institute are offering free dental implants through the said Dr. James Chaffin, Simply Im- end of the year. (Photo courtesy of Simply Implant Institute) plants Institute senior faculty instructor. During the monthly SI Institute ses- more natural look and feel. There is no “As a result, many have put off their sions, the faculty usually oversees all one-size-fits-all solution. It’s all unique dental care to the detriment of their implant procedures; however, now to their fit, function and finances.” overall health. We want to help them through the end of the year, the Simply Over the past year, the Simply Imget the dental work done they need by Implants Institute faculty doctors will plants Institute has trained over 60 docremoving the barrier of cost and educat- be doing all dental implant procedures tors; placed more than 2,000 implants; ing them about their options. In many and surgeries. and saved Arizonans more than $6 cases, we can save people thousands of “Our goal is to place over 500 free million in implant surgical fees, bone dollars. The only cost they will need to dental implants in the next 60 days,” grafting and extractions. cover is whatever they decide to put on Chaffin said. “One person may only Chaffin added that the mission of the top of their implants — their new teeth need a single implant and a crown to SI Institute is to teach doctors to be above the gum line. We will cover the fill a space where their tooth used to be. confident and competent in all areas of cost of everything required below their Someone else may need an entire smile implant dentistry through unparalleled, gums. We want to help people smile makeover, and another person may hands-on training. again and start 2022 off in a healthier, want to ditch their old-school denture “With the rise in popularity of the happier place.” for an implant-secured denture for a ‘All-on-4’ hybrid denture offered by
some practices, clients have told us the only solution offered to them is this hybrid denture, even when the patient’s bone is healthy and strong,” Chaffin said. “Unfortunately, in doing this, the dentist ends up unnecessarily grinding down good bone and removing viable teeth to force the hybrid denture to fit in the patient’s mouth, rather than finding a solution that best fits the patient’s mouth with minimal surgery.” Now that the institute is offering free services, Chaffin hopes to eliminate some of the unnecessary procedures that ultimately hinders a patient’s dental health. “I know this sounds barbaric, and it is, especially when it’s not necessary,” he said. “And, I can’t tell you how many people I have met with looking for a second opinion. When I tell them that I can save their healthy teeth, leave their bone intact, and only need to place a few implants to achieve their desired smile, they are overwhelmed with relief. Each client we see receives a personalized treatment plan and usually more than one option when it comes to helping them restore their smile.” In some instances, Chaffin said an “All-on-4” hybrid denture may be the right solution. “But we don’t know that until we do a complete physical evaluation, CT scan and understand their health histoSEE IMPLANTS PAGE 6
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had many adventures, causes and victories. I know we will meet again, in Christ. See you on that great getting up morning. Praying for the family!” She never shunned controversial issues like systemic injustices, community police and the workplace. She had a strong spiritual compass and was a great orator and public speaker, Ervin said. Ervin said Linda had a heart for community and persons who were disenfranchised. “She was very outspoken,” said Ervin, a Surprise resident who formerly lived in Peoria. “She had just as many enemies as friends. People didn’t like her holding them accountable.
“I’m going to examine that at the service. We want the community to know who she is. She was loving. She took in people to stay in her house, whether it was families or friends. She cooked Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner and invited the community to be a part of it. She was very generous and a strong spiritual leader in our church. “She had a tremendous faith belief. She never had children, but she raised at least 20 children inside and outside of the family. They looked up to her on Mother’s Day.” The dean of student services at Estrella Mountain Community College, Cutright was a member of the NAACP,
board of directors of Bethesda Church of God in Christ and the National Black MBA Association. A licensed minister, she was a graduate of Maricopa Community Colleges’ Women’s Leadership Group. As the dean, Ervin said, Linda helped more than 3,000 students earn their degrees, as she counseled them and ensured their financial aid was not compromised. Linda earned her associate degree within the Maricopa Community Colleges system and a bachelor’s degree in management from Grand Canyon University. Her master’s in education with a counseling background is from NAU,
and she completed her final application to obtain her Ph.D. in general psychology with Capella University with two focus areas, lifespan and industrial development. She had strong ties to the staff of municipalities around the West Valley, Ervin explained. “She worked very closely with the state attorney and the chancellor at the community college, principals at schools, city managers and councilpersons. “When things went on in the Valley, they made their way to Linda. It’s just a terrible loss. It affects so many people in the community.”
