Help Me Smile Again
Donation protected
Hello, my name is Lacey Gebbert but some call me Vel! I'm 28 years old and finally at a point in my life where I know it's time to focus on me and my health. Growing up as one of four children to a single mother we had very little money. As a child, I had other health problems that took precedence over my dental care so I NEVER went to the dentist growing up. I've spent most of my early 20's just trying to get by so as an adult .... keeping a roof over my head, food in my stomach and a way to get back and forth from work has taken precedence over my dental health as well. Unfortunately, at this point my dental needs have been put off my whole life and it has caught up with me.
I've never been one to ask for help unless I have no other options. Reluctantly, here I am. A month ago my face became so swollen it was hard to talk let alone eat. I was in an incredible amount of pain! The immediate pain (due to an infection and exposed nerves) required 2 doses of antibiotics and a new focus on long term solutions. Over the past month I have used the majority of my time off from work researching regular to low cost options online, meeting with different dentists to understand the full spectrum of services/prices I qualify for, and confirming those options with my dental insurance provider directly.
Luckily I do have dental insurance so it does cover a small amount of work .... the problem is simply that I require A LOT of dental work. A ray of light emerged when a friend referred me to a dentist who I feel will take good care of me.
These are the things my dentist told me I need just to get me to a good oral health
- $300 for 3 teeth to be pulled
- $1400 for a root canal
- $5000 other procedures my dentist can perform including scaling and root planning, fillings, periodontal maintenance, and crowns.
Total = $6700
Insurance will cover no more than $1000 of this for non major procedures.
Remaining balance = $5700
Nice to Have: One of the teeth needing to be pulled is toward the front of my mouth. I'm already embarrassed by my smile and try hard not to smile. However, since I face people and talk to them all day as a cosmetologist I would really like to have that space filled. According to my research it could cost anywhere between $5000-$10000 or more depending on whether they do an implant or orthodontics (to move one of my other teeth into its place).
I was told I could apply for CareCredit but it has to be paid off within 6 months through my dental office. Even if they gave me $5000 I could not afford to pay $834 a month for 6 months. Right now, I decided to apply for a personal loan for which I was given $2500. This is paying for the things I need just to be out of short term pain and I of course have to pay it back. This is pain I wouldn't wish upon my worst enemy!
I feel I have done what I can to cover as much of the cost on my own and now I'm asking for help. Anything you can donate to the cause of getting my teeth in a healthy state is phenomenal and graciously appreciated. Thank you for reading!!!
I've never been one to ask for help unless I have no other options. Reluctantly, here I am. A month ago my face became so swollen it was hard to talk let alone eat. I was in an incredible amount of pain! The immediate pain (due to an infection and exposed nerves) required 2 doses of antibiotics and a new focus on long term solutions. Over the past month I have used the majority of my time off from work researching regular to low cost options online, meeting with different dentists to understand the full spectrum of services/prices I qualify for, and confirming those options with my dental insurance provider directly.
Luckily I do have dental insurance so it does cover a small amount of work .... the problem is simply that I require A LOT of dental work. A ray of light emerged when a friend referred me to a dentist who I feel will take good care of me.
These are the things my dentist told me I need just to get me to a good oral health
- $300 for 3 teeth to be pulled
- $1400 for a root canal
- $5000 other procedures my dentist can perform including scaling and root planning, fillings, periodontal maintenance, and crowns.
Total = $6700
Insurance will cover no more than $1000 of this for non major procedures.
Remaining balance = $5700
Nice to Have: One of the teeth needing to be pulled is toward the front of my mouth. I'm already embarrassed by my smile and try hard not to smile. However, since I face people and talk to them all day as a cosmetologist I would really like to have that space filled. According to my research it could cost anywhere between $5000-$10000 or more depending on whether they do an implant or orthodontics (to move one of my other teeth into its place).
I was told I could apply for CareCredit but it has to be paid off within 6 months through my dental office. Even if they gave me $5000 I could not afford to pay $834 a month for 6 months. Right now, I decided to apply for a personal loan for which I was given $2500. This is paying for the things I need just to be out of short term pain and I of course have to pay it back. This is pain I wouldn't wish upon my worst enemy!
I feel I have done what I can to cover as much of the cost on my own and now I'm asking for help. Anything you can donate to the cause of getting my teeth in a healthy state is phenomenal and graciously appreciated. Thank you for reading!!!
Organizer
Vel Gebbert
Organizer
Austin, TX