After five years and five teeth lost to Cuban confinement, freed prisoner Alan Gross has something to smile about. Thanks to D.C. dentist Dr. Neil Starr, Gross’ smile mirrors U.S. relations with Cuba -- once broken, now on the mend.
Gross, 65, of Potomac, Maryland, was arrested in December 2009 while working in Cuba as a contractor for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
Gross’ family said he brought communication equipment to Cuba’s Jewish community as part of USAID’s democracy-building project, which sought to improve the island’s Internet access and connectivity.
Communist-led Cuba disapproved of this goal. Gross was arrested and held in captivity in Havana. In 2011, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison on espionage charges.
The time in prison took its toll on Gross. His wife Judy said she was fearful he would not survive incarceration, as he suffered from arthritis and developed a mass behind his right shoulder. Judy said her husband was “wasting away.” He lost over 100 pounds, and several front teeth.
Gross was released in December 2014 as part of a humanitarian prisoner exchange. His release helped fuel a long-awaited normalization of Cuban-American relations. As Gross stepped foot on American soil, President Obama finalized the deal to begin to re-establish diplomatic relations with the island.
Gross had plenty to smile about once he helped restore America's communication with Cuba and reunited with his family. But his strife was still evident from the large gaps missing from the front of his smile.
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On Feb. 16, Dr. Neil Starr completed Gross' restoration by giving him a new set of teeth.
