You can support UNMC's VETSmile Dental Clinic by making a gift to the College of Dentistry's Veterans' Clinic Fund today.
The University of Nebraska Medical Center’s VETSmile Dental Clinic has a simple mission: to bring smiles back to the state’s veteran population one visit at a time.
Since opening its doors, the clinic has provided a range of dental care to Nebraska veterans — ranging from simple procedures like cleanings and fillings to full denture replacements.
The clinic operates in collaboration with the Veterans Affairs’ VETSmile program, providing these services to veterans who are enrolled in the VA health system but are not eligible for dental benefits.
Thanks to donor support through the College of Dentistry’s Veterans’ Clinic Fund, these visits and procedures come at no cost to veterans.
Greg Bennett, DMD, chair of the UNMC Department of Adult Restorative Dentistry and interim executive associate dean of the College of Dentistry, said the clinic is providing a solution to what has long been an unsolved problem.
“A fair number of our patients, especially our elderly patients, come in with a mouth filled with some teeth,” he said. “Most of them are decaying, and their only experience with care is to get them out of pain.”
Bennett said being able to properly address these long-term issues in a clinical setting has been transformative for patients.
“I think it’s been hugely impactful for a lot of these people,” Bennett said. “For these patients, you’re giving them something that they would have never been able to get on their own.”
The clinic has also been a transformative experience for the student volunteers who work with these veterans on a daily basis. Bennett added that these students get firsthand experience seeing how truly impactful their work is.
“A lot of them are hearing these crazy or funny life stories from our older veterans and are seeing a level of appreciation that is missed a lot,” he said.
Bennett said the College of Dentistry’s Veterans’ Clinic Fund provides a rare level of direct support to Nebraska’s veteran population. Each dollar provided goes directly toward covering the care of each patient who walks through the clinic’s doors.
It’s so rare, in fact, that even the veterans who are receiving this care have a difficult time believing it.
“There’s always a bit of skittishness on the part of the people who come in,” he said. “Dental treatment is expensive, and our students tell them not to worry about it. Many don’t believe that it’s real until we’re done.”
Bennett is thankful for the continued support from donors and knows that their generosity is playing a direct role in improving the lives of patients on a daily basis.
“What we’re doing couldn’t be done any other way,” Bennett said. “This program couldn’t exist, and without this program, these people will not receive definitive, life-changing care.”
To help UNMC’s VETSmile Dental Clinic continue crafting smiles, please consider donating to the College of Dentistry’s Veterans’ Clinic Fund today.
