Aspen Dental Management Inc (ADMI) will host its sixth annual Day of Service on Saturday, June 8, with more than 450 offices opening their doors exclusively to veterans to provide them with free dental care.
More than one in three Americans did not visit the dentist last year, most often because of costs, lack of insurance, and fear, ADMI reports. These roadblocks can be especially challenging for veterans, the company says, who are ineligible for dental benefits through the Veterans Administration unless they are 100% disabled, have a service-related mouth injury, or were a prisoner of war.
“Breaking down barriers to care is at the very core of what we do,” said Anita Imadomwanyi, DDS, director of clinical support and charitable giving at ADMI.
“The Healthy Mouth Movement and annual Day of Service are continuously among the most impactful initiatives that we champion at Aspen Dental, as they fill the underserved gap in the industry that continues to delay veteran access to necessary dental care. It’s just one more example of how dentists and team members across Aspen Nation are committed to being a ‘yes’ organization,” said Imadomwanyi.
Since launching the Healthy Mouth Movement in 2014, dentists and their teams from ADMI branded offices have donated more than $15 million in dentistry to more than 22,000 veterans and people in need through their volunteer efforts. ADMI also will look to build on last year’s Day of Service, when more than 4,300 veterans nationwide received free dental care at 426 participating ADMI locations.
Veterans can call (844) 277-3646 to find a participating ADMI office in their community and schedule an appointment for June 8. Advance appointments are required. During the Day of Service, ADMI dentists and teams will treat the most urgent needs of each veteran to ensure they are relieved of any dental pain, from fillings and extractions to basic denture repairs. Routine cleanings and exams also will be provided.
In addition to the efforts of local volunteers, the Healthy Mouth Movement also reaches veterans through the MouthMobile, a 42-foot-long fully equipped mobile dental office that travels state to state providing free care to veterans in communities where care may not be easy to access. Since launching in 2014, the MouthMobile has made nearly 150 stops and travelled about 125,000 miles.
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