13 November 2023

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Expanding Dental Access to Veterans

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What started as a concept aimed at disease prevention and patient retention has turned into an annual event to aid veterans in need. Now in its third year, Harvard School of Dental Medicine’s (HSDM) Give Veterans a Smile (GVAS), which takes place in October, provides veterans with a day of free dental care and consultations, with a long-term goal of creating a dental home for those who have served.

Veterans are provided with healthcare while serving in the military, but it can be a challenge to receive dental care once they leave the service. Nearly half of all veterans experience gingival problems or bone loss, whereas 27 percent of non-veterans had these issues from the 2021 report, “Veteran Oral Health Expanding Access and Equity.” Very few veterans qualify for full dental care unless they have a service-connected disability or were a former prisoner of war.

“The decision to create the Give Veterans a Smile program at HSDM was driven by a combination of a commitment to community service, a desire to address unmet needs, and the potential for educational and clinical benefits for dental students and faculty,” said Anita Nasseri, DMD25.

Nasseri, along with Kaitlyn Cardenas, DMD24, Jen Candiano, DMD25, Jake Cantrell, DMD25, and Adam Yang, DMD25, helped plan and organize HSDM’s first annual Give Veterans a Smile event in 2021, opening the door to veterans for free dental care, oral cancer screenings, and specialty consultations.

Over 30 HSDM predoctoral students volunteered for the event along with residents from AGE specialty programs, faculty, and Harvard Dental Center staff members. Colleagues from the Boston Veterans Affairs also volunteered for the event. The student planning team reached out to local veteran organizations to advertise to interested patients.

“This collaborative approach ensures that the program can tap into a wide network of resources, expertise, and support, enabling it to have a broader and more significant impact on the wellbeing of veterans,” Nasseri said.

Since its launch three years ago, the program has expanded its reach to serve a larger number of veterans, collaborate with additional organizations, and recruit more student volunteers. In addition to dental care, the nonprofit organization Health Care of All was on hand last year to guide veterans through the process of accessing benefits and finding longer term oral healthcare options.

“We wanted to ensure that HSDM’s Give Veterans a Smile did not simply become a one-day event. Rather, we sought to establish continuity of care and help veterans find a consistent dental home, whether it is with HSDM or another local provider,” said Cantrell.

Cantrell is a recipient of a Health Professions Scholarship and will serve as a dentist in the U.S. Navy after graduation. Five students in HSDM’s Class of 2025 will join the military after graduation to practice dentistry while serving their country.

“My service commitment is what guided me to HSDM, where I knew I would find an educational environment that goes beyond traditional dentistry. I’m very thankful to attend a school that encourages student-led initiatives like Give Veterans a Smile,” he said.

Read more here: https://hsdm.harvard.edu/news/expanding-dental-access-veterans