YUTAN, Neb.—  On September 26 and 27th, many veterans, spouses, and surviving spouses passed through the Nebraska National Guard Titan Readiness Center near Yutan to receive free dental care.

 

This was Nebraska’s third Veterans Mission of Mercy Dental event. The free care was estimated to be worth more than $550,000.

 

“It’s hard to put into words how incredible this dental clinic is,” said Lieutenant Governor Joe Kelly. Kelly toured the site on September 26th. He said every room was filled with patients. Kelly also said many volunteered their busy weekends to help. “Our veterans have served to protect us, and as Nebraskans we are here to repay them,” Kelly said.

 

Although Nebraska has 115,000 veterans, only 10% qualify for dental care through the U.S Department of Veteran Affairs. Dental care is one of the most requested needs, reported by Nebraska Department of Veterans’ Affairs, who provided over $300,000 in emergency financial help related to dental needs.

 

During the event, over 2,500 dental services including cleanings, fillings, root canals, extractions, x-rays, and more were offered. Dentists at the event took digital impressions and sent them to Dental Designs, where technicians designed and 3D printed prosthetics.

 

“Accessing quality dental care services is a huge challenge for many veterans, especially for older people,” said State Dental Health Director Dr. Charles F. Craft. “Much of the dental care provided at the VETMOM event involved the need for dentures to replace missing teeth that are essential for proper eating. The ability to receive dentures quickly within a 48-hour period speaks to the dedication of our many professional volunteers and partner organizations who worked around the clock to give back to our Nebraska veterans.”

 

“It was an honor to take care of the dental needs for our veterans,” said Dr. James Jenkins, associate professor at the UNMC College of Dentistry. Jenkins said he hoped the patients felt appreciated for their service to our nation to protect us. He also said he appreciated all of the volunteer help and dedication.

 

Over 45% of attendees say the cost or lack of dental insurance was an issue to receiving dental care. Over 20% say they traveled 100 miles or more to attend the clinic.