For someone who has always loved science and wanted a career that could better the lives of others, dental hygiene offered the perfect opportunity for Terri Chandler. Through her nonprofit, Future Smiles, Chandler saw her calling fulfilled beyond her dreams.
Future Smiles serves children with critical dental needs who lack access to dental care. With a dedication to serving her community and sharing the importance of good oral health, Chandler works daily to reinforce that dental care is essential to overall health and well-being.
Chandler asserts that dental health is a right for all people, not a privilege for a select few. She believes that one of the most important health care priorities for Southern Nevada is our need for more dental health care options for our uninsured or underinsured residents. Future Smiles is one of very few community programs to meet this critical dental health need.
Future Smiles observes that 7 out of 10 children are suffering from tooth decay in Southern Nevada. Left untreated, tooth decay and dental infections can be life-threatening. Chandler wants to get these children out of pain and prevent it from occurring when possible through dental sealant prevention treatments. The sealant acts as a barrier on the tooth and releases fluoride to mineralize the tooth throughout the child’s young life. Future Smiles placed nearly 21,000 dental sealants in just one school year.
Chandler works closely with the Clark County School District to identify children in need of emergency dental care. Future Smiles now serves more than 50 schools and has the NWP Dental Wellness Center to address all dental health needs. Under Chandler’s direction, Future Smiles has helped more than 120,000 local children.
Dentistry Runner-up
Christina Demopoulos, DDS, MPH Associate Professor of Biomedical Sciences, UNLV School of Dental Medicine