Dr. Phillip Kemp, DDS, Brentwood, Tennessee dentist at Kemp Dental, will be performing free dental care to our students and their families at YLLC-Kirkpatrick on April 21st through his Hope Smiles initiative. Hope Smiles, a nonprofit, Christian organization, aims to “help individuals receive restorative and cosmetic dental work at little or no cost, made possible by community and private financial support, donated materials and volunteer dental professionals.” Hope Smiles also gives dental students, soon to be dentists, the opportunity to work with his team. Although this care will be provided, he hopes that his efforts will reflect on a focus for restoration and love of students and families.
Knowing Yolanda Shields, CEO of Youth Life Learning Centers, for over fifteen years, first as a patient and now as a friend, Dr. Kemp saw a need among YLLC’s family members and students. Taking notice of what our organization provides, he believes that we lead hope and change within the at-risk environments served at Youth Life.
“Dentistry is an unmet need in our country,” says Dr. Kemp. “Unfortunately, there are so many who experience pain and discomfort with no hope for relief. Hope Smiles is our small part of bringing a glimpse of hope to a situation that can often feel hopeless. …The need is so great. One of the number one reasons that kids miss school is due to dental pain. This breaks my heart and should not be the case. Also, not to be able to confidently smile significantly effects one’s self-esteem and can also prevent someone from securing employment. The name, Hope Smiles, was chosen because of just like it sounds, Hope Smiles. When someone has hope, he or she cannot help but smile. We love being able to help people smile. We love to share hope.”
When he reflects on lives changed, Dr. Kemp recalls a particular girl, who at one time struggled with an eating disorder. She felt that God was able to pull her out of these times to find a new sense of peace and love. Each time the girl looked in the mirror, however, she was reminded of this past struggle by the look of her teeth, which had eroded away. After transforming her teeth, her new smile brought not only a physical healing, but also an emotional one by erasing a painful reminder.
Dr. Kemp wants to tell all of the students served at Youth Life Learning Centers to never give up and trust God in all that they do. The staff and YLLC students and families members would like to give him a special thank you for his efforts that will not just provide smiles but a sense of restoration, hope and love.
Youth Life Learning Centers 