Newsletters

Happy Giving Tuesday!

It’s Dec 2017 - 6 years ago, and two years since I bought this practice … and it isn’t going as I hoped. The year is almost over, Christmas is coming and IT IS after all the “most wonderful time of the year," except that is not how I feel.I am struck with most intense fear, at the depths of despair and almost completely hopeless. We have completed seeing patients, the team has gone home, it’s dark and cold. I am exhausted, famished, and in tears. I feel utterly ALONE, as if in prison. I can’t get out, and NO ONE is coming to save me! I KNOW that! I had arrived at the practice before 7am to catch up on things left undone form the day before, and it’s 6:30pm now. I have at least 2 more hours of work before I can leave to go home. But I am not sure I want to leave. I KNOW when I get home I will feel even more of what I am NOT.
I can’t just go home and tell my husband that he needs to give up the majority of his Navy monthly salary to help me keep the practice afloat for yet another month! This is month three of that and it keeps going UP every month!!! Will it ever stop???
I fall on my knees and with tears running down my face cry without consolation for what seemed like an eternity. I can hardly breathe and feel like I am drowning.

I HAVE FAILED!!!
I cry out to God from the depths of my soul and ask: “What IS YOUR plan for my life?”
I had been a dentist for 17 years, have trained at the highest level of my profession. I took on incredible risk to buy something that turned our not to be what I thougt it was. I have been working over 60+ hrs a week in the office, am followed home with piles of administrative work every evening, have not gotten a full night’s sleep, have not had a complete weekend, gone on a vacation, have missed the most important events in my daughters lives and have not been present nor available for my loved ones for over two years and this is what I get in return?
I pray: “God, I KNOW You are good and I KNOW Your perfect love endures forever. I KNOW You would never leave nor forsake me - what DO You want me to DO?”
I hear an almost audible response: “GIVE!!!”
I cry and cry and cry: “How can I give when I don’t have enough and I am in need myself?”
Same answer: “GIVE!!!”
How can I give out of lack? Am I in lack? What do I give?
Answer: “GIVE, BELIEVE anything and ALL things are POSSIBLE and TRUST the process!”
Somehow I don’t feel any better from that answer, although I am clear on what I am to do and I choose to BELIEVE.
That is how we met our first beautiful lady, Corina. She is a local trafficking survivor with a story that would break even the hardest of hearts and she needed help with her smile.
I KNEW I could GIVE a smile! And my life of purpose, passion, commitment and blessing began!!!  I began to measure success by how much I could give, and it has been amazing!
It’s now 2023 and we ARE blessed beyond measure! The practice and I are now thriving!  Our practice is the strongest it’s ever been!  We provide the highest quality of care in the most loving, connected and relaxing environment to our patients; and we GIVE more than ever before.  
We have now been working with local survivors of trafficking for over 6 years. To expand our ability to contribute, we even created our own 501(c) 3, “Inspire Changes” (https://www.inspiresmilessd.com/changes) to build resources so we can help more people, BE LOVE and BE a blessing in our community and expand our efforts beyond just ME.
Our current contribution for 2023 to survivors of trafficking, women who have been through domestic abuse and sexual violence as well as others in need is $144,200. This is the value of dental services we have provided as a gift to those who desperately need it, and it comes at a substantial cost of time and money.
As a comparison, the San Diego County Dental Society has a foundation dedicated to providing dental services to veterans and their contribution for all the dentists who have participated throughout the year with weekly clinic operations is less than $100,000. That is the whole San Diego Country Dental Society, hundreds of dentists participating and with resources raised through fundraising and grants.
We did this on our own, with minimal donations from basically us, few dedicated patients, and our closest friends and family. We executed all of this though the labor of just myself and my team of 5 other women!
Anything and ALL things ARE POSSIBLE to all who BELIEVE!
I invite you to support our efforts by making a tax deductible contribution to Inspire Changes - BE the CHANGE, MAKE a DIFFERENCE in someone’s life and may generosity BE your greatest asset!

TODAY IS THE DAY: “Giving TUESDAY”!!!
We thank you in advance for your heart of compassion and we will also GIVE you something to show you our appreciation!
All gifts of any amount are NEEDED, appreciated and VALUED. You will get a tax deductible receipt and a hand written note from me with some sharing on how your generosity impacted someone’s life.

In Addition :

1. Silver Sponsorship of $350 will get you a gift of Sonicare Diamond electric tooth brush ( $215 value)

2. Gold Sponsorship of $550 will give you a gift of Professional Whitening ( $350 value)

3. Platinum Sponsorship of $1750 will give you 25 units of Botox and Zoom in office whitening ($850 value)

And remember, you could give the gift you get from a donation to others!  Get a head start on holiday shopping by simply doing GOOD!

Choose an amount that speaks to your heart!
To give, go to https://www.inspiresmilessd.com/changes (or click below) where you’ll find instructions on how to make a tax deductible donation.

With love and gratitude,

Dr. Elona