Terri Chandler, RDH, is the Founder and Executive Director of Future Smiles, a Nevada-based nonprofit dedicated to increasing access to oral healthcare for underserved children and families. Since launching the organization in 2009, she has led efforts to deliver school-based oral health programs across Clark County, providing preventive and restorative services to more than 170,000 at-risk children.

Terri was born in 1964. Her father served in the Navy and the family traveled a lot when she was young, including a three-year period on the island of Guam during the Vietnam War. Terri’s mother came from a Hispanic family deeply connected to Mexican culture.

Traditional Mexican healing practices include honey, and Terri’s Nana encouraged her mom to use honey in her baby bottle to help her sleep at night. Unfortunately, honey is a natural sugar that causes tooth decay. By the age of two, while on Guam, she had so many cavities that the Navy dentist could not repair her teeth.

Under hospital sedation, all of Terri’s front teeth were extracted, leaving her with a life-long fear of the dentist and long-term dental issues. Despite—or perhaps, because of—this fear, Terri pursued a career as a dental hygienist. Says Terri: “Because of this experience, I have profound mindfulness that my dental issues resulted from my family’s misunderstanding of cavities, not a lack of love or an absence of intention for my good health and safety. As a dental hygienist, I could personally relate to a patient’s dental anxiety and fear, doing my utmost to ease their emotional journey as they pursue dental health. I’ve infused this depth of empathy into our core values at Future Smiles, where we provide respect, dignity, and understanding for our families while we champion children’s dental health one smile and one heart at a time!”