ADA Foundation Launching Give Veterans A Smile Program at SmileCon 2024

ADA Foundation Launching Give Veterans A Smile Program at SmileCon 2024 | Image Credit: © ADA

At this week’s SmileCon® 2024, the ADA Foundation (ADAF) will launch Give Veterans A Smile (GVAS), a new initiative to help address veterans’ unmet oral health needs. SmileCon, the American Dental Association’s (ADA) annual meeting, takes place October 17-19 in New Orleans.

According to the Veterans Health Administration, 82% of veterans enrolled in the Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system, or about 7.4 million people, are ineligible for dental benefits. To qualify for VA-sponsored dental services, veterans must either have a dental issue that is service-connected or otherwise qualify based on narrow criteria.

Give Veterans A Smile will offer step-by-step toolkits and resources to encourage clinicians to provide pro bono oral health services to veterans in their dental practices and assist veterans in finding a facility that can become their dental home, the ADA says.

Additionally, GVAS will collect data and share the value of charitable oral health care provided nationally to help guide advocacy efforts aimed at increasing funding and access to care for veterans.

“Oral health equity for all is a priority for the ADA Foundation,” Michele Tulak-Gorecki, DDS, Board Chair, ADAF, says in a press release. “Veterans are pillars of our communities who have made great sacrifices for our nation and Give Veterans A Smile aims to better support the millions of veterans in need of dental health services to improve their oral and overall health.”

SmileCon 2024 attendees are encouraged to participate in activities to recognize veterans. After a ribbon cutting ceremony to kick off the Give Veterans A Smile Pack & Give Back event on Thursday, volunteers will roll up their sleeves to pack Health & Comfort Kits—including oral health products—for underserved veterans in the New Orleans area in partnership with the Disabled Veterans National Foundation. The kits will then be distributed to local veterans in need at the New Orleans VA Medical Center on Friday, beginning at 9 a.m. The event is sponsored by the Alliance of the American Dental Association, Colgate®, the Dental Trade Alliance Foundation and Henry Schein Cares.

An awareness and fundraising celebration is planned for Saturday at the National WWII Museum in New Orleans with Colonel- and Major-level sponsors including Gary Oyster, DDS, the Fourth Trustee District of the ADA, the Pennsylvania Dental Association, the Texas Dental Association, the New York State Dental Association, Liberty Dental, Henry Schein, Inc, and Mark Vitale, DMD.

Veteran-themed continuing education sessions will also be offered in collaboration with the American Institute of Dental Public Health and sponsored by Pacific Dental Services® Foundation. Attendees of the events will have the opportunity to hear from dignitaries like State Representative Drew Ferguson; Colonel Paul Colthirst, Commander, Dental Health Command – Pacific; and Staff Sergeant David Bellavia, medal of honor recipient, according to the ADA.

For those looking to help this great cause, Give Veterans A Smile is actively seeking volunteers, sponsors and donations to assist in bringing oral health care to underserved veterans. Nationwide partners include Dental Lifeline Network, Everyone for Veterans, Veterans Smile Day, and Freedom Day USA. To learn more about how to get involved, click here.