Hundreds of Nebraska veterans, their spouses, and their surviving families received free dental care valued at over $550,000 at the third annual Nebraska Veterans Benevolent Mission (VETMOM) dental event held at the Titan Preparatory Center near Utah on September 26-27.
The initiative aims to address significant dental care disparities for Nebraska’s 115,000 veterans, with only approximately 10% currently eligible for dental services through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Lt. Governor Joe Kelly visited the event and praised the volunteers for their dedication over the weekend. “It’s hard to put into words how great this dental clinic was,” he said, emphasizing the importance of giving back to veterans.
The event, hosted by the Nebraska Department of Veterans Affairs (NDVA) in partnership with several dental organizations, provided over 2,500 dental procedures, including cleanings, fillings, root canals, and extractions, to approximately 425 patients.
Over 100 dentures were provided at the event, with Dental Designs staff delivering them within 24 hours.
Dr. Charles F. Kraft, Director of the Nebraska Department of Dental Health, highlighted the challenges veterans face in accessing quality dental care, particularly dentures.
“Delivering dentures within 48 hours demonstrates the dedication of our dedicated volunteers and partner organizations,” he said.
Hundreds of volunteers participated in the event, including dentists, dental students, and non-dental support staff from the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW).
Sponsors included Hornaday, Dental Designs, Ameritas, Patterson Dental, Dexis Imaging, Google, and Farmers Mutual.
Dr. James Jenkins, Associate Professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln School of Dentistry and Clinical Director of the Veterans Health Care Center, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve veterans.
Post-event surveys revealed that over 45% of attendees cited high costs or lack of dental insurance as barriers to treatment, and over 20% traveled long distances to attend. Over 98% of attendees reported being “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the experience.
Since 2023, Nebraska VETMOM events have provided over $1.6 million in dental care to 1,250 veterans and their families. Another event is tentatively scheduled for fall 2026.
