Pacific Dental Services Foundation Supports Oral Health for Veterans at ADA’s SmileCon and Upcoming Give Vets a Smile Event in New Mexico

• In coordination with the ADA Foundation's Give Vets a Smile campaign, the PDS Foundation supported continuing education sessions at the ADA's annual SmileCon summit as part of an effort to improve access to oral health care for veterans.
• The PDS Foundation is also supporting donated care for veterans in New Mexico at an upcoming Give Vets a Smile event on Saturday, Nov. 9, in honor of Veteran's Day.

IRVINE, CALIF. Oct. 28, 2024 - The Pacific Dental Services^® (PDS) Foundation sponsored five continuing education sessions at the American Dental Association (ADA) SmileCon^® annual meeting, offering tools, data, and models to help dental clinicians provide better care and conduct better outreach to the nation's veterans. The sessions included recommendations for treating patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the importance of medical-dental integration for veterans, managing chronic disease of veterans, and more.

SmileCon is an annual convening of oral health care professionals from across the country to learn and connect on the latest clinical research, treatment, and updates affecting the oral health care industry. This year's conference focused on expanding oral health care to veterans, a population that is significantly less likely to have access to care.

Nationwide, 85% of veterans are ineligible for dental coverage through their primary provider, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Eligibility for free VA dental care is limited; for example, only veterans with a service-connected compensable dental disability, former prisoners of war (POWs), or those with a 100% disability rating qualify for comprehensive VA dental services. This leaves many veterans who do not meet these criteria facing significant barriers to accessing oral health care. Veterans are 60% more likely to experience tooth decay, and 42% report having gum disease, conditions that can lead to long-term health consequences if untreated.

Kelley Ryals, DDS, practicing dentist and owner of Santa Fe Modern Dentistry, served as a panelist for one of the sessions entitled "Providing Care to Underserved Veterans." She spoke from her experience as an active-duty member of the New Mexico Army National Guard and as a dentist about the need to make care more accessible.

"Veterans have little to no dental care through the VA," said Dr. Ryals. "As a result, many veterans have severe oral health challenges that require more extensive treatment. Raising awareness, providing training, and offering donated dental care is how we can start to bridge the gap and help veterans get the care they need."

Another PDS Foundation-sponsored panel, entitled "Supporting Veterans with PTSD: Collaborative Care with a Trauma-Informed Approach," focused on specific tools, protocols, and training to treat patients with PTSD. This panel was especially important to the PDS Foundation, whose Dentists for Special Needs office in Phoenix, Ariz. regularly provides care to patients with PTSD who cannot be seen in a regular dental setting.

"We're honored to partner with the ADA and with Dr. Ryals to offer multiple speaking panels at SmileCon about making treatment more accessible to veterans and to patients with PTSD," said Michael Le, Executive Director of the PDS Foundation. "The PDS Foundation's Dentists for Special Needs office is proud to offer specialized care to patients with PTSD, many of whom are veterans who struggle to feel comfortable in a traditional dental office. While we are always a resource, a nationwide effort is needed to ensure this kind of care is more accessible for all, which is why these panels are so valuable."

In addition to education and training, the PDS Foundation and Dr. Ryals will be providing donated dental care to local veterans in New Mexico as part of the ADA Foundation's Give Vets a Smile event on Saturday, Nov. 9, in honor of Veteran's Day. Three dental practices in Albuquerque and Santa Fe will provide care to more than sixty local veterans. The PDS Foundation has also arranged for mental health and workforce support to be available for veterans while they await their treatment.

"New Mexico has a shortage of available dentists to begin with, which makes dental care even more of a challenge for local veterans. I am thrilled to work with the PDS Foundation to provide free care to veterans in my community and look forward to what we can do to help improve their overall health," said Dr. Ryals.