Helping bring smiles

Helping bring smiles

by Roy Ketring

Dr. Eli is passionate about using her dental skills to share the love of Jesus with those who are hurting. We are blessed that she is part of our family.

We are blessed to have a clinic area with dental equipment and supplies at our Home. We are doubly blessed to have a member of our family Dr. Elizabeth “Eli” River Kachirisky serving our children and staff with dental care. Eli also serves an indigenous group of people in the community – the Mixtecos, as well as at a nearby orphanage called Estado 29. Eli’s work and higher education is sponsored by Placentia Presbyterian Church. She will complete her studies in January to become a dental surgeon and will be licensed mid-2025. She is an excellent dentist, and a strong Christian whose heart is to serve children.Eli has been treating children at our Home and from Estado 29 with more extensive dental needs. Estado 29 has found sponsors to cover the cost of their kids’ dental care.

Eli has identified eight youth, Sofia, Adanesne, Everado, Rufellel, Karen, Alberto, Melanie, Efrain from our Home who have critical orthodontic needs. We are struggling to meet our Home’s operational needs and have no means to pay for the extensive dental care for our kids. Gracias a Dios two other children from our Home already have dental sponsors.

Eli will assist the orthodontist saving the cost of an assistant. Cost varies for each child depending on how extensive the need is.

Here is an example of one of our girl’s dental needs. She has a Class II bite to be corrected. It is due to genetics and slow growth of the maxilla. Upon diagnosis from the studies to analyze she could also need an orthopedic expansion. She is really close to an age where her bone growing condition will not be able to be directed with orthopedic apparatus only with surgery.

  • Estimated initial cost varies from $1620 to $1820 dollars.
  • Orthodontic treatments for 30 months, $82 dollars per month = $2,460
  • If a youth needs an orthopedic stage of treatment, 40 months, $82 dollars per month = $3,280
  • A dental sponsor’s total cost would vary from approximately $4,100 over 30 months to $5100 over 40 months.

If you would like to sponsor a smile, contact Roy.Ketring@elsauzal.org. We will furnish you with a complete analysis of the proposed dental care.

Roy attends Placentia Presbyterian Church in Placentia, California.