When Sanaah Pande was in 8th grade, she interviewed a 100-year-old veteran named Rafael Garcia. He told her that, while serving in the Navy, he was out at sea on the Pacific and suffering from the worst kind of tooth pain. But since there was no access to dental care on the ship, nothing could be done for months.
Garcia’s story stuck with Pande long after he shared it with her.
A couple of years later, Pande got an internship at Milpitas Smile Design. While interning there, she thought back to her conversation with Garcia, who had since passed away.
That was when she got the idea to start HopeWorks, a nonprofit that provides free dental procedures to veterans.
“The VA doesn’t provide veterans with services unless they’re 100% disabled,” said Pande in an interview with The Beat. She added, “What HopeWorks tries to do is target high-value procedures such as implants, root canals, crowns, all of those. Because they’re really hard to access if you don’t have insurance and they’re also very costly.”
Pande estimates that since HopeWorks launched over a year and a half ago, her nonprofit has helped veterans receive more than $100,000 in donated dental care.
Having grown up in a military family, Pande has deep reverence for those who serve. Her 2nd great grandfather served in World War I as part of the British Imperial Army, and her grandfather served as an officer in the Indian Army. Her mother currently serves in the U.S. Air Force Reserve.
Pande has a team of volunteers supporting HopeWorks. She’s in charge of running the organization and also recruiting dentists who work to provide free services to veterans. Although the 17-year-old is a senior at a Monterey high school, she decided to base the nonprofit in Milpitas. Having already gained experience working with dentists in this city, she saw Milpitas as a central location for serving veterans throughout the Bay Area.
HopeWorks’ most recent event went up at Milpitas Smile Design, where they gave $15,000 worth of services to veterans.
“There were three dentists who did implants and crowns for five veterans. None of the dentists are being paid; they just want to give their time and services to veterans,” says Pande.
HopeWorks also has a dental office on wheels and can go to the homes of veterans who are unable to come out to events.
“Our base is in Milpitas but we can honestly go all over the Bay Area,” said Pande.
She estimates that they’ve served around 50 veterans so far. This year, they hope to help around 200.
Meanwhile, Pande still remembers Garcia talking about how, toward the end of his life, his daughter, who was in her seventies, was his main caretaker. Every time Garcia needed to use the bathroom, his daughter would have to pick him up from his wheelchair and carry him there. The doorframe wasn’t wide enough for his wheelchair to get through — and he couldn’t afford to have it extended.
Pande hopes that HopeWorks can eventually grow to support veterans with their financial needs, so that people like Garcia don’t have to struggle in the future.
“They once stood up for us, and I believe we have a responsibility to stand up for them. Veterans shouldn’t have to struggle to get support after everything they’ve sacrificed,” said Pande. “I want to be part of a community that makes sure they know they’re valued.”
Go to HopeWorks’ website to learn more about the organization.
