LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – A Lubbock veteran will soon receive a new gift that will reshape his smile, helping him reclaim his confidence.
This year’s Smiles for Soldiers is benefiting a Lubbock Air Force veteran.
51-year-old Kevin Perry has faced lifelong dental challenges, with nearly all of his teeth either missing or broken.
In his Smiles for Soldiers application, Kevin explained he has not smiled confidently in decades and often avoids social settings because of it.
Monday, he learned he will receive a $50,000 smile makeover.
“It’s transformative. It’s something much, much bigger than just teeth. It’s self-confidence. It’s self awareness,” Dr. Robert Ioppolo, dentist and veteran, said. “I’ve been told by some of the recipients before that they did not have a job before they got their new smile and that gave them the confidence to go into the work place again and gain full employment.”
Through the Smiles for Soldiers program, Dr. Ioppolo has provided a full-arch smile restoration for eight veterans since 2017.
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