Hate Crime Victim Gets Free Dental Care From Kickass Dentist

Hate crime victim Andrew Oppelman had his teeth knocked out in a vicious attack in October of 2012. A local dentist stepped up to do the entire reconstruction of Oppelman’s teeth—and he did it completely for free.

On the night of Austin’s Pride event, Oppelman and his friend Nick Soret were waiting for a slice of pizza at one of our many awesome Austin pie places, when police say Lambert Borgardt accused Soret of coming onto him. When Oppelman tried to intervene, video footage caught him turning on Oppelman. Nine of Oppelman’s teeth were knocked out. Borgardt was later indicted on third degree felony charges by a Travis County grand jury.

Local Austin dentist, Dr. Gary Cash, D.D.S. says he read about the attack on Oppelman and his need for reconstructive dental surgery on Austin media outlet KVUE’s website. Cash asked the reporter to put him into contact with Oppelman. A year and a half after the crime occurred, Oppelman has his new smile, and the LGBT community knows they have a friend in Dr. Cash.

Well, this LGBT+ Austinite (transplanted in Japan as she may be) certainly thinks so, anyway. Thanks, Dr. Cash, for helping make Austin a town I am proud to claim as my American hometown.