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DO GOOD: Paying it Forward by Dr. Emily Letran

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Header: Paying it Forward
by Emily Letran, DDS, MS

I was born in Vietnam in the late 1960s, and from ages 7 to 13 grew up under communism with Big Brother watching (If you've read George Orwell's novel 1984, you get the idea.) It was important to follow the rules—the philosophy in Animal Farm was exactly the concept I learned in school, those days.

In 1981, I emigrated to the U.S. as a refugee, with my aunt, my brother, and four cousins. We started our lives here with nothing, but in this great country there was no one watching us. My aunt didn't have to go to monthly meetings; I didn't have to join any mandatory "clubs," and could dress any way I wanted!

As I grew from a 13-year-old refugee to a successful professional, I received a lot of support and assistance: My English as a Second Language instructor, K.F. Chandor, gave me cassette tapes to help me learn the language. I received free lunches in high school. Friends offered me lifts to class at the University of California, Riverside, where I used scholarships and grants to fund my undergraduate studies. I completed my DDS and MS degrees at UCLA thanks to a scholarship, multiple grants and the lowest-interest Perkins loan available. To show my appreciation, I promised myself that I would give back whenever I could, helping those who might be going through the same struggles I did.

Helping others, even outside the dental office
My first step included helping patients whenever I could, even beyond dentistry:
  • Sponsoring a young patient's trip to an out-of-state band competition, because his mom was struggling financially.
  • Welcoming a harmonica-playing senior citizen into the office because he felt we were family—more than just nursing-home friends.
  • Taking a photo of a beautiful lady in her 80s and sending it to her house, because she had shared with me that her visit to my office was the "event of the day."
  • Renting out a whole movie theater and inviting patients, their families and friends.
I understand that when we change people's smiles we actually change their lives, because they can create more beautiful memories with the people they love.

One of my favorite patients is a grandfather who, for many years, has asked me to support his grandson's sports team. My answer is always, "Of course." A few weeks after an event, he returned with a thank-you plaque displaying the team picture; I handed him the hammer and invited him to put it up on the wall, wherever he wanted. The grandchild is not my patient but I do it for the grandfather, because supporting someone he loves is one of the ways I can touch his heart.

Dr. Emily Letran standing with children

Expanding the effort even wider
My drive to give back grew stronger as I began using my profession as a vehicle to support my philanthropic heart. When I participated in a dental mission in Costa Rica with my team, the poor neighborhoods around San Jose reminded me of Vietnam. One day during that week the water was shut off, so we drilled with no water. The patient would sit up and spit every so often to "rinse out." I truly felt like I was "back at home," remembering my dentist uncle who worked on me with the slow handpiece and the cuspidor.

Last year, I started the Emily Letran Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to changing lives, one smile at a time. One day each month, we provide free dentistry services for military veterans and for families who come from disadvantaged backgrounds. We offer more extensive dental work, such as free braces, for children to help restore their confidence. We give scholarships to small-business owners for business mentoring.

I take this philanthropic journey because I want to be a single link in that big chain that improves humanity, lifting everyone up along the way. Dental professionals have so much potential and capacity to give back; make a difference and be proud of what you do as a service leader—for your community and your profession, alike.

For more information about the Emily Letran Foundation, go to smilechampions.org.
Dr. Emily Letran

Dr. Jeffrey Tonner Dr. Emily Letran came to the U.S. as a 13-year-old refugee from Vietnam. She overcame multiple challenges to attain her DDS degree at the University of California, Los Angeles. She is the CEO of two dental corporations in Southern California, a business mentor for entrepreneurs and business professionals, and an author.

Letran is a proud mother of three children who grew up learning the values of dedication, commitment, perseverance and integrity. She recently started a nonprofit foundation to provide mobile dentistry and services for outreach communities, senior centers, veterans, and families from disadvantaged backgrounds. Her mission is to create positive social impact through philanthropy and business collaboration..



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