Maine dentists are helping survivors of domestic violence find their smiles

[](https://w2pcms.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/All-of-us-with-Monique.jpg) Monique Tash, in white sweater, with her newly restored smile courtesy of Dr. David Jacobson (right) and the Two Lights Dental team (back row). Patrisha McLean (left) is the CEO and founder of Finding Our Voices, which runs the Finding Our Smiles donated-dental program. (Courtesy of Patrisha McLean) Monique Tash had been trying to save up for dental care for five years, but bills kept draining her savings.  Her teeth were in bad shape. Most of them were missing, and the remaining ones were cracked and broken.  Her smile was the casualty of her abusive, nearly 10-year relationship. “If I wanted to take a shower, I was accused of cheating,” she said. Tash stopped brushing her teeth. “I didn’t have any self-esteem left.”  Two years ago, she heard about Finding Our Smiles, a program that connects survivors of domestic abuse with free dental care and procedures. She reached out to Patrisha McLean, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of [Finding Our Voices](https://findingourvoices.net/), the statewide nonprofit behind the dental program. McLean responded within 30 minutes. Tash had a consultation with Dr. David Jacobson at Two Light Dentists a few weeks later, and after inspection and X-rays, he determined that a full mouth extraction was necessary. “They weren’t saveable,” he said.  A... --- *Note: This is a summarized excerpt. Click the source link above to read the full story.*