A WOMAN who lost all her teeth due to a rare condition has thanked the community for helping her to finally smile again when the NHS refused to fund the operation.

Jess Chisholm’s teeth were removed in a single operation in December 2015 due to a rare genetic condition oligodontia which she suffered since birth.

But the NHS refused to fund a new set of teeth because it is not regarded as ‘acute care.’

The 24-year-old, who was unable to eat or smile, was left feeling self-conscious and called on the community for help.

Dentist Alistair Bunting of Balmoral Lodge Dental Practice in Ferndown offered to waive his fees to fit her new implants and kind-hearted residents rallied together to raise £3650 towards the materials.

Now after two procedures Jess is smiling and it is extra special because her smile is modelled on her mum Helen’s teeth.

“I am so happy. I don’t have any reason to hide away anymore.

“I didn’t have a full set of teeth to work on but the last picture mum and I had together side by side before I had all my operations was the one they based my smile on and transferred it to me. We look similar now because we have the same smile. I’ve just got a bigger smile than mum has.”

As previously reported, Jess’ world turned upside down when all her teeth were removed at Poole hospital because her teeth were crumbling.

She was unable to eat anything but porridge or soup and lost a pound every day, her weight plummeting.

She was so self-conscious she held in laughs so people could not see she had no teeth and would wear scarves up to her nose and would hide from the camera.

Despite an appeal lodged by her dentist to NHS England Individual Funding Request Team, Jess was refused funding.

On December 14, exactly one year after the dental clearance, Jess had a procedure to fit the first implants thanks to Alistair.

After multiple appointments, Jess’ dentures were completed last month.

And Jess, from Wimborne who is an office worker in Ringwood, is loving life. She said: “It is so nice to smile again without being gummy and to be able to eat too without having to check the menu in advance.

“Just to have photos with friends without having to worry is so good.

“Now me and my boyfriend Adam are making up for a year and a half of photos to make up for the ones where I couldn’t smile. We are trying to go out as much as we can to take photos just to make up the lost time.

“It has been a very long year and a half but I think we are at the end of the tunnel.

“I want to say a big thank you to Ali. He has given me a smile back and for everyone who donated as well, including complete strangers who donated.

“It shows that the community does still stand even with everything else going on, that actually everyone comes together in time of need and I can’t thank everyone enough and family and friends who stuck by me through it all.

“I also want to thank Adam my boyfriend. We were only together three months when this all started and now we live together. I feel very grateful.

“Without them, I don’t think I’d even be this far.

“I think sometimes you have to go through a rough patch to make you realise actually how special and important little things are. Anyone else going through the same thing, there is light at the end of the tunnel, you’ve got to just keep going to find it.

“I am so happy to smile again and I don’t think I’ll stop!”