For National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, ABC Action News aired a segment about The Invisibles: Teens Homeless Because of Domestic Violence. If you happened to catch it, you would have seen our own Chief Smile Officer, Dr. Randy Feldman and his friend and colleague Dr. Caitilin Martini of Muscaro & Martini Dentistry teaming up to do good. Displayed prominently on the Blue Wave Orthodontics wall in the video is our “Look Good, Do Good, Feel Good” statement.
In the video we meet Kelsey Mitchell, who like many victims of domestic violence homes had gone years without seeing a dentist. The story begins almost two years ago when Kelsey was a homeless senior at Robinson High School and her complicated dental needs got the attention of Dr. Feldman and Dr. Martini after being introduced by a very caring person, Vicki Sokolik.
Dr. Feldman and Dr. Martini created a treatment plan for Kelsey’s improper bite and inability to chew properly. Both paired up and in time, provided $10,000 in pro-bono dental work for Kelsey.
The video and article on the ABC Action News website do an amazing job illustrating the problem and profiling Kelsey as one of many individuals who suffer because of domestic violence situations. Share this link on Taking Action Against Domestic Violence with your family and friends. There are toll-free hotlines, great stories of everyday heroes, and local resources.
Dr. Feldman shared, “Kelsey is now a student at FSU and is studying marketing. She’s getting A grades and is an amazing person. We’re all so proud of her, and are very happy to help! She now has a great, healthy smile and is making the most of her educational opportunities.”
Fun Fact: Dr. Caitilin Martini had braces by Dr. Feldman when she was a kid!
