Dental health is just as important as the general health, that is why it is highly advised for everyone to book regular dental appointments. However, as much as people want to, they tend to worry about the possible cost of dental care procedures. As a result, patients choose to perform self-care, which is usually ineffective in handling dental complications. Instead of making things better, it can even cause the problem to become worse.
Some of the people who experience a major roadblock in accessing dental care are military veterans. Believe it or not, out of 20 million veterans in the United States, only 15% are actually qualified for dental benefits from the Veteran Administration. What’s sad is, they are often deemed unqualified unless they are 100% disabled, have a service-related oral injury, or was once a prisoner of war. Since they don’t have access to adequate dental care, the nation’s heroes who once fought for freedom are now fighting serious, even life-threatening dental complications.
One veteran named William Bell was trying to get his teeth worked on for three years; however, despite having diabetes, PTSD, kidney cancer, and depression—he wasn’t disabled enough to qualify for dental care through the Department of Veterans Affairs. By the time he was given free dental attention, 19 of his 20 remaining teeth need to be extracted because of severe periodontal disease.
Aside from giving veterans the respect and appreciation they deserve due to their sacrifices, it is only right for them to have access to adequate dental care. That is why, we at Diamond Dental decided to make Veterans Day this 2019 extra special for those who once served by providing dental work to 30 veterans—for free!
Yes, for the first time ever, we decided to give back to the nation’s heroes by providing them the dental attention they have always wanted. What made the whole experience worth it is receiving a letter from one of our patients that day who underwent a dental x-ray, examination, cleaning and filling. We are delighted to know that they had a wonderful and painless experience under our care.
Here are some of the photos taken last November 11, 2019:
