It’s a gift nearly a month in the making. Thursday, a Sioux Center woman got her first look at an incredible Christmas gift all thanks to a local dentist who thought of a creative way to make a difference in his community.

“At the end of the day we’ve been given a special set of skills and we want to use those to help people as best we can,” said Dr. Trevor Kuiper.

A friend nominated Tami Vanderbrink for Sioux Center Dental’s smile makeover giveaway.
“She’s an incredible person and has given so much to this community, couldn’t find a more deserving person to do this for,” said Kuiper.

KCAU 9 was there for her first procedure earlier this month.  “That was the foundation of everything, getting it back to a state of health. The second step was getting molds and impressions and finding the right size, shape, width of teeth that fit her mouth,” said Kuiper.

Donating the supplies and equipment needed for Tami’s new smile.  “Let me give you the mirror here, why don’t you take a look,” said the doctor.

“Wow,” said Vanderbrink.  She added “To know I can make an incredible change in her life and see how she reacts,” said Kuiper.  In all this smile makeover is worth up to $10,000.

“Just amazing, just amazing to have a complete smile, after so many years,” says Vanderbrink.  Dr. Kuiper says that priceless reaction is all worth it.  “Really rewarding at a level beyond any amount of money,” he says.

A Christmas gift Tami will forever cherish. “Now I can show them off, it doesn’t matter, full smile now,” she says.