The Aspen Dental MouthMobile stop in Buffalo on Friday, September 7 will kick off the second half of a 28-stop journey across the country as teams of volunteer dentists and staff from Aspen Dental practices provide free dentistry and denture services to hundreds of veterans this fall. Patients also will get a free oral cancer screening via the Forward Science OralID battery-operated, handheld, and painless oral examination device.
The MouthMobile is a 42-foot-long free dental clinic that travels state to state to give veterans free dental care. The handicap-accessible mobile facility hosts two operatories and digital x-ray equipment. Appointments are required and arranged through local nonprofit partners. Upcoming stops will include Hartford, Saratoga Springs, Detroit, Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Phoenix, and Santa Fe.
Since 2014, Aspen Dental has donated more than $15 million in dentistry and helped more than 12,000 veterans as part of the Healthy Mouth Movement. Aspen Dental practices also take part in a nationwide Day of Service each year, opening on a designated Saturday to provide free dental care to veterans. An overseas outreach program helps those in desperate need as well.
The Buffalo stop at Canalside, 44 Prime Street, is in New York’s Erie County, which has been designated a dental health professional shortage area by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). In New York, nearly 3 million people live in a dental health professional shortage area. Veterans One-Stop of Western NY, a nonprofit providing supportive services to veterans and their families, will host the event.
“Access to dental care is an especially challenging issue for the veterans, who do not receive dental benefits through the US Department of Veteran Affairs unless they are 100% disabled or have a service-related injury to the mouth,” said Iswara Parvathaneni, DDS, the local Aspen Dental practice owner providing care in Buffalo. “It is an honor to give back to our nation’s veterans, who have dedicated their lives to serve and protect.”
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