CHICAGO, Nov. 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- On Saturday, November 6 more than 500 Aspen Dental locations opened their doors for the 7th annual Day of Service, providing care to nearly 3,000 military veterans and their spouses. Resulting in more than $1.9 million in free dental services, Aspen dentists across the country volunteered their time to break down barriers to care and treat the most urgent oral care needs for veterans - to help relieve oral pain, and provide everything from fillings and extractions to hygiene and basic denture repairs.
Dr. Laurence Sitchon, left, talks with Kenneth Parnell a veteran who served 10 years in the U.S. Navy and Air Force, right, about the free dental care he will receive during Aspen Dental's 7th Annual Day of Service, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, in Tallahassee, Fla. The Tallahassee clinic provided free dental care for 11 veterans during the event. (Colin Hackley/AP Images for Aspen Dental)
The Aspen Dental team provides free care to veterans and their families during the Aspen Dental's 7th Annual Day of Service, on Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, in Millington, Tenn. (Brandon Dill/AP Images for Aspen Dental)
The Aspen Dental team provides free care to veterans and their families during the Aspen Dental 7th Annual Day of Service, on Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, in Loganville, Ga. (Ben Rollins/AP Images for Aspen Dental)
Navy veteran Kenny Jary of Mahtomedi, Minn., becomes emotional as he talks about the services offered by Aspen Dental, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, in Forest Lake, Minn. (Craig Lassig/AP Images for Aspen Dental)
Navy veteran Kenny Jary hugs Linh Tran, D.D.S. after getting a new set of teeth at Aspen Dental, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, in Forest Lake, Minn. (Craig Lassig/AP Images for Aspen Dental)
"This year's Day of Service was an incredible success thanks to the generosity and commitment of the dentists and teams throughout the Aspen Dental network," said Dr. Lauren McDonough, vice president of practice owner development for Aspen Dental. "In the last seven years, dentists and teams across Aspen Dental have collectively helped more than 30,000 veterans and military family members, and we're proud to continue those efforts this year and honor those who have served."
U.S. veterans are ineligible for dental benefits through the Veterans Administration unless they're 100% disabled, have a service-related mouth injury, or were a prisoner of war. This year's Day of Service success builds on the ongoing impact of Aspen Dental's Healthy Mouth Movement, a community-giving initiative launched in 2014 to deliver free dental care to veterans in need in communities across the country.
Since the launch of the Healthy Mouth Movement, dentists and their teams from Aspen Dental-branded offices have donated more than $23 million in dentistry services to more than 30,000 veterans and people in need. For more information about Day of Service and the Healthy Mouth Movement, visit www.HealthyMouthMovement.com.
About Aspen Dental Offices The Aspen Dental network includes more than 930 offices, in 43 states, owned and operated by independent practice owners and dentists, who share a commitment to creating access to care for those who need it most. These independent practice owners expect to record six million patient visits in 2021, driven by a commitment to breaking down barriers to quality, affordable oral health care. Each dental care team offers patients a safe, welcoming, judgment-free environment to address their dental challenges, including comprehensive exams, cleanings, extractions, fillings, periodontal treatment, whitening, oral surgery, crown and bridge work, and denture services. For more information, visit www.aspendental.com.
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