As part of continued efforts to extend dental care benefits to veterans, the School of Dental Medicine Dental Clinic offered oral care services for veterans and military personnel on Friday, Nov. 11, in honor of Veterans Day. The services included free dental exams and x-rays, a discounted cleaning fee of $25 and a $100 voucher if an individual signed up for comprehensive care treatment.
Ali Syed, assistant professor in the Oral and Maxillofacial Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences department, oversaw the appointments while third-and-fourth-year students provided care to the veterans.
Among those who attended appointments were veterans Jordan Pavlak and Scott Davis. Students Michael MacKnight and Otis Bevell examined Pavlak and Davis, explaining each step of the treatment plan along the way.
“I felt comfortable working with the students,” said Pavlak. “There's a lot of supervision and they are working hard to learn how to be gentle with people. It was a good first step for me in getting back to the dentist and caring for myself.”
“My wife has actually been coming to the clinic for years and she loves it,” Davis shared. “I have been meaning to come and finally made it this morning. It’s a beautiful space and everyone is so friendly.”
The veterans day clinic is held every year on Veterans Day and is particularly important to Assistant Professor and Admitting Clinic Director Ali Syed.
“I wanted to do something for people who serve their country,” said Syed, who spearheaded the event and oversees the instruction of the students who run it. The inspiration, he said, was his own father, who served in the Indian Army.