The United States Department of Veterans Affairs recently launched a new program that expands dental care access for VA-enrolled veterans through partnerships with dental practices.
The VETSmile initiative aims to assist veterans who do not have a regular dentist or who may need financial assistance for dental care, according to an Aug. 5 news release. The program is led by the Center for Care and Payment Innovation, a collaboration between the department and healthcare industry.
Services available through the program include education on oral health practices, emergency and preventive oral care, oral disease treatment, dental restoration, endodontics and periodontics.
The program will initially launch at New York University College of Dentistry, the Zufall Health Center in Dover, N.J., and Rutgers School of Dental Medicine in Newark, N.J. It is expected to serve an estimated 3,900 veterans through 9,000 veteran patient visits in its first year. New sites are expected to launch in different areas of the country this fall.