Linda has been in the field of dentistry for over 30 years.  She has done everything you can do in a dental practice except be a dentist.  Dentistry in her blood and she totally loves the practice of dentistry.  After a career in dentistry, Linda had the opportunity to go to dental consulting school at Mercer Advisors.  Subsequently she opened her own dental consulting firm Dynamic Dental Consulting.  While visiting a prison ministry, Alongside Ministry, she saw many people covering their mouths to talk.  After asking one of the girls if she could see her teeth and examining her mouth she saw one of the worst mouths she had ever seen.   Periodontal disease, broken black teeth and no front teeth.  Linda’s heart was moved and after much prayer she decided she needed to help these people smile again.  She called a dentist that she had worked with, Dr Mark Peck, and asked him what he would think of helping ex-felons get a new lease on life and receive a renewed smile.  He said, “I like it send me one and we will see how it goes.” Mark’s office restored the mouth of one girl and was so excited they said, “We want to give confidence, and a new life to another person.”   

 

At that time, there was no name for this program.  The program started to grow just by word of mouth and began changing lives, One Smile at a Time. With much excitement for the program, Linda dissolved her consulting firm and took this project on full time.  She immediately obtained a 501c3 nonprofit designation and went to the Corporation Commission, formed a board of directors, and Smiles Beyond the Bars was formed.

 

Linda was recently recognized by the Phoenix Business Journal, was named Woman of the Year by the Nation Association of Professional Woman, and will be recognized on the 20th of July by the Phoenix Rescue Mission for the number of people that Smiles has transformed for them.  Smiles has a recidivism rate of 0%.

 

www.smilesbeyondthebars.org