
Gratitude
November is traditionally the month where we focus on what we are most thankful for. At our Mobile Dental Clinic this past month, we experienced gratitude in immense ways. Jose is a fifteen-year-old boy we met through the Pasadena Ronald McDonald House. Jose uses a wheelchair and was visiting from Tijuana with his grandmother to receive critical spinal surgery. We discovered that Jose had never received dental treatment before and immediately enrolled him in our Mobile Dental Clinic. Jose had extreme dental work done over the next four days with the dental students concentrating on one quadrant of his mouth each day. His need was so extensive that he will continue to receive care from one of our professional dentist volunteers. At the end of his time at the clinic, Jose and his grandmother made a point of seeking out every dentist and staff member at the clinic to thank them for their time, care, and expertise. As everyone took in their words of appreciation, we all experienced our own feelings of gratitude as we watched Jose’s transformation and delight in the care he received, and appreciated the opportunity to work with this family so that Jose can achieve a healthier future.