Finding Our Smiles features 40 Maine dental providers donating dental care to women survivors of domestic abuse
Finding Our Voices has won a prestigious national award for Finding Our Smiles, its groundbreaking program of donated dental care featuring 40 Maine dental providers across nine counties voluntarily restoring the smiles and lives of women survivors of domestic abuse. The nonprofit won a Purple Ribbon Award in the category of “Most Innovative Service”.
According to Patrisha McLean, CEO/founder of the grassroots nonprofit, there are two ways that Finding Our Smiles is evidently unique in the United States. It 1) donates dental care exclusively to women survivors of intimate partner abuse and 2) fixes dental damage from emotional abuse, e.g. “not being allowed” to brush one’s teeth in addition to fixing damage from physical abuse.
Maine dental providers have provided close to $400,000 in life-mending treatment to 64 women survivors of domestic abuse since the program began in 2022. Many of the beneficiaries would otherwise be living with intense physical pain, the inability to chew and eat properly and a reminder of the loved one who hurt them every time they looked in the mirror.
The Purple Ribbon Awards are judged by a national panel of leading professionals from across the domestic violence field and are “the most comprehensive awards program honoring the countless hopegivers of the domestic violence movement,” according to DomesticShelters.org which runs the award program.
DomesticShelters.org said nominations for the Purple Ribbon Awards are submitted from around the world.
Finding Our Voices is the grassroots and survivor-powered nonprofit breaking the silence of domestic abuse as well as providing support and resources to Maine women survivors of intimate partner abuse. For more information visit https://findingourvoices.net.
