12/02/2025
A Moment of Hope
The Seal A Smile team still remembered the day they visited Lakeland School. They had all been prepared for another challenging screening, the kind they’d had many times before with the quiet 16-year-old student who could not speak and could not move on his own. He rarely cooperated, not because he didn’t want to, but because the world was simply harder for him to navigate. When they were about to perform the service, they found out that he was sleeping.
And because he was sleeping, still and peaceful, the team was able to gently examine him—little by little, carefully checking each area they normally couldn’t reach. For the first time, they were able to do a meaningful screening.
After the service the team contacted his mom. When she learned that the team was actually able to look inside his mouth, over the phone, her mother’s voice wavered, heavy with tears she couldn’t hold back. She explained that no dentist had been willing to see him, not with his medical condition. She had called clinics, tried referrals, begged for help. The answer was always the same. And yet, there was a team willing to try. For the first time, she felt a spark of hope.
And so, the plan began.
Weeks later, the boy arrived at OAFC Dental Clinic. This time, everything aligned, the quiet room, the tired student, and a team ready to do whatever they could for him. Slowly, patiently, they completed a full cleaning. The X-rays followed, each one a small victory. For the first time in his life, he had a complete oral screening.
When it was over, his mother held his hand, smiling through grateful tears.
He finally had the care every child deserves.
All it took was one peaceful moment, one determined team, and a mother who never stopped trying.
