Dentist Raises Self-Esteem, Money for Victims of Domestic Abuse

(Nashville, Tenn.) – If the idea of dentists serenading you with rock-and-roll standards makes you smile, there's a good reason. Dr. Dennis J. Wells, a leading Nashville dentist, and members of his rock and roll group, the Matrix Band, may be dentists by day – but by night they adopt rock-and-roll attitudes to raise awareness and money for the Give Back A Smile Program of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). This unique program supports pro bono cosmetic dentistry services for victims of domestic abuse whose smiles have been damaged or destroyed by abuse.

Since the launch of Give Back A Smile in May 1999, more than 800 AACD dental professionals like Dr. Wells have volunteered their time and expertise, at no cost, for the program. More than 148 domestic abuse cases have been completed for a total dollar value of $734,012.37 and there are currently 189 applicants that are being treated throughout the United States.

"We have fun with the Matrix Band, but it's for a very real and serious cause," explains Dr. Wells, who plays bass for the band on dental parodies of rock and roll classics such as Born to Be Wild (Matrix version: Born to Make Smiles). "Your smile is an integral part of who you are, and if it is damaged in some way, especially by abuse, it can have devastating consequences on your life and your feelings about yourself. Give Back A Smile is about restoring smiles through cosmetic dentistry, but it's also about restoring hope and self-worth."

Committed to the Give Back A Smile cause, Dr. Wells has, with the Matrix Band, raised tens of thousands of dollars for the program. He also is an official provider of cosmetic dentistry services for Give Back A Smile in the Nashville area.

And Dr. Wells knows how to change lives by changing smiles. As the chosen cosmetic dentist for some of the entertainment industry's elite and one of only a handful of cosmetic dentists featured on the hit national TV show, Extreme Makeover, Dr. Wells has performed hundreds of dramatic and life-altering smile makeovers for everyone from the biggest country music stars to disadvantaged teens.

"It's amazing to see how having a beautiful, healthy smile that exudes confidence and happiness can affect a person's life," said Dr. Wells. "My profession is cosmetic dentistry, but my life's work is creating smiles that really give people a reason to smile."

Dr. Dennis J. Wells is the founder of the Nashville Center for Aesthetic Dentistry and is the dentist to some of Nashville's and Hollywood's biggest stars. He was featured on two episodes of Extreme Makeover on ABC and has appeared in numerous print and television stories on oral-health and cosmetic dentistry issues.