Shelby Jacobs spent his career making history. As an Apollo-era engineer, he designed the camera system that captured the first images of the earth’s curvature from space — and he did it as one of only eight Black engineers at his company, at a time when racial discrimination was commonplace.
Decades later, with interview and documentary requests becoming frequent, there was one thing he had put off for too long: his smile. This is the story of how Shelby Jacobs became a dental tourism patient — and how All-on-6 dental implants in Mexico gave him back the confidence to tell his story on camera.
After his outstanding achievement with the camera system that captured the earth’s curvature for the first time, Shelby continued to work with NASA on many other successful projects. Fast-forward many years, and he had become a part of history and was thriving along with his wife. But there was something he hadn’t taken care of properly: his smile.
Shelby, like millions of Americans, had been struggling with his oral health. He was missing teeth, and the remaining ones were getting worse. His partial dentures had reached the point where they were no longer helping — just as requests for interviews and documentary appearances became more and more frequent.
But Shelby didn’t feel comfortable appearing on screen with his teeth. And because of this, there was a chance he could miss the opportunity to tell his story to the world. A story that could inspire millions of young African Americans to follow their dreams and never let anyone bring them down. He had to find a solution. So there he was, having the dilemma of everyone trying to get dental care. “Where?”
Shelby, a man who cares about quality and results, needed a clinic he could trust. He couldn’t find a convincing option in his city, so he turned to something that has helped thousands of people worldwide: dental tourism. He looked into dental care in Tijuana, Mexico — just 10 minutes from the San Diego airport — and began detailed research to find the right dentist. Eventually, he found it.
Trust Dental Care is a modern dental office focused on innovation and Same-Day dentistry. Shelby looked at the many positive reviews and decided to make a call. He was impressed by the professional and friendly customer service he received, and that feeling of reliability made him decide to start his treatment with us.
Shelby came to Trust Dental Care in Tijuana for his first consultation with our team. After a full evaluation of his case, we recommended a fixed full-arch restoration supported by six dental implants. Treatment began using our German dental technology for a precise and efficient placement of the implants.
After the surgery, we waited for his mouth to heal. In the meantime, we fabricated his new, robust, and natural-looking porcelain prosthesis that would function as Shelby’s new teeth.
Shelby came back to finish the process, and that was it. His All-on-6 dental implant reconstruction was ready — and so was he: ready to tell his story and to show that if you have a dream, you go for it.
If you are considering a full-arch restoration, contact our English-speaking coordinators to request your personalized treatment plan.
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