Dr. Patricia
Rivera Jiandres
Dr. Patricia Rivera Jiandres has a heart that’s even bigger than her smile.
As a dentist at our medical clinic in San José Villanueva, El Salvador, Dr. Patricia loves the children and has a heart to see young women realize their worth and be confident in their smiles. For most of her patients who visit, it’s their first time ever seeing a dentist.
“Because of their economic problems, it’s too expensive to go to the dentist,” she said.
But at this clinic, patients see a doctor or dentist for just $1. And the clinic provides vital dental care for the community by cleaning teeth, filling cavities and even making dentures.
Through her compassionate care, Dr. Patricia does everything she can to save and restore a tooth before considering an extraction. In fact, many patients who are treated leave and tell others that their teeth were fixed rather than removed…bringing great relief to those who are hesitant about seeing a dentist.
Big or small—with each procedure, a difference is made in the patient’s life. They are prayed for and shown the love of Christ in other special ways, too.
When one young woman arrived at the clinic, she was terrified of dentists. At 20 years old, she still had most of her baby teeth, as well as a nightmare story about the last dentist she saw, who pulled many of her teeth.
“She came here and she was really scared,” Dr. Patricia said. “She (was afraid I would) remove all her teeth.”
What the young woman found instead was a dentist who delighted in repairing her beautiful smile.
“I did a denture…and put her baby teeth at the same level as her permanent teeth,” Dr. Patricia said. “When she saw herself, she was very, very happy.”
After spending her entire life afraid to smile, this young woman—for the first time—loved her smile.
“I’m very proud,” Dr. Patricia said. “The first thing in everyone’s mind here is God. So, as Christians helping others…it makes me very happy.”
Thank you for putting smiles on so many faces in 2018! God used you to help this precious young woman and many others to receive the help they so needed.