About 3 years ago, Doctors Scott Westermeier and Jeffrey Martin of Westermeier Martin Dental Care of East Aurora decided to choose one lucky Mother to win a day of beauty salon and spa pampering in honor of Mother’s Day. In addition, the lucky winner would also receive a free Smile Makeover courtesy of their dental practice. They knew that Moms always take care of everyone else’s needs first, putting themselves last. They also knew that changing smile would change their life. So for the past 2 years, they have been sponsoring this highly anticipated annual event, with this year being no exception.

Stacy Sacco knew she just had to enter her Mom, Denise Quinn, into the Makeover contest as soon as she heard about it. She knew all the pain and embarrassment her Mom suffered because of her missing and damaged teeth. When Stacy mentioned entering her into the contest, Denise dismissed the idea, stating “she never wins anything”. Determined to get her Mom the smile she needed, Stacy and her brother sat down one day and composed their heartfelt letter:

“My brothers and I would love for our Mom to be selected for the Mother’s Day Smile Makeover. The current condition of her teeth occurred as a result of the cancer treatment that she received for Lymphoma. Since her teeth have deteriorated she no longer smiles, avoids social situations, her confidence has significantly decreased and she has difficulties eating. Our Mom has always been there for my brothers and I. It’s difficult for us to watch her struggle with her teeth and to always be in pain. Next year I will be getting married and my Mom will be walking me down the aisle. The best wedding present would be to have my Mom smile and be able to enjoy the festivities without worrying about her teeth and hiding them. Please consider selecting our Mom for this makeover as it would bring back her quality of life. We appreciate your consideration and time.”

Once finished with the letter, they attached a picture of their Mom and sent it off, hoping for the best.

In the meantime, back at the dental practice, Drs. Jeffrey Martin and Scott Westermeier reviewed the hundreds of entries they received, searching for that one special candidate.

Softies at heart, they were touched by the thought of the petite, single Mom of 3 taking care of the daily needs of her family, all the while battling lymphoma. The thought of her not being able to eat, or enjoy her own daughter’s wedding was bad enough but not smiling for family pictures to be handed down for generations clinched it. A deserving mother’s life was about to be changed forever.

The bewilderment, shock and surprise on Denise’s face was obvious to Maria Miecyjak, Administrator for Westermeier Martin Dental Care, when she showed up on a cloudy Thursday afternoon at Denise’s front door. Carrying flowers and balloons to proclaim her the winner (check out the video of this on www.wmsmile.com- it’s priceless!) it was hard to tell who was more excited, Denise or Maria.

Denise explains “I was shocked. Never in the world did I think I’d be chosen the winner. I never win anything. At first, I didn’t know what to say, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. When it finally sunk in that I won, it was like a black cloud lifted from my life. I was so happy to finally be able to fix my teeth. The medications I took for the lymphoma affected my teeth and resulted in constant pain.

I used to work in retail management and often volunteered to help the less fortunate. I loved being around people, laughing and smiling. The condition of my teeth changed all that. I stopped smiling and avoided social situations altogether. I stayed home – a lot. Too much. On top of this, I couldn’t even eat my favorite foods anymore. Couldn’t eat steak, and I love steak and missed just biting into a raw carrot. ”

Denise continues “When it came to the day of the Smile Makeover, I really wasn’t that nervous, but really looked forward to it. I knew for a long time that something really needed to be done about my teeth, but had no idea of how I’d ever be able to afford it. Everybody at Westermeier Martin Dental made me feel so comfortable and safe. You know, I’ve been to a lot of doctors and dental offices because of my illness. A lot of people seem to just be going through the motions. At Westermeier Martin, you can tell that they really care about their patients. It’s obvious by just talking to them that they’re perfectionists and take pride in their work. I really appreciate that they focused on fixing my teeth, not on how they got that way. My treatment was extensive, but I was totally comfortable the whole time I was in their dental chair, with no pain or discomfort afterwards”.

In addition to the Smile Makeover, Cielo Salon in East Aurora treated Denise to a complete hair and makeup makeover. She felt very much at home with the friendly and professional staff who worked their magic, and walked out looking and feeling on top of the world. Eros Day Spa and Wellness Center of East Aurora donated a luxurious spa treatment to our lucky winner and the charming and historic Roycroft Inn pitched in with an overnight stay including a champagne dinner for two. Denise was also presented with her very own autographed copy of “A Funny Thing Happened on the way to Commencement” by local author Ann van de Water, chronicling the heartbreak, hope and hilarity of being a Mom. She was also gifted with a pair of concert tickets.

Has the Smile Makeover changed Denise’s life? You decide. In the short time since her makeover, she’s been out and about, going to the movies, going out to lunch with her son, enjoying being able to smile and laugh with her children and her 5 month old granddaughter. Denise can’t wait to show the world her new look and excited at joining the outside world again. The most fun thing she’s done? Shopping for dresses for daughter Stacy’s upcoming wedding next June. We want to see wedding pictures, ok? And save us some cake!