For many U.S. veterans like Alan, oral healthcare is completely out of reach. Years of service and limited VA dental coverage leave millions of veterans without options as their dental health declines. After years of enduring pain, Alan found the lifechanging dental care he needed through Dental Lifeline Network’s Donated Dental Services (DDS) program.
Alan’s Story
Alan is a U.S. Army veteran and older adult who lives in Las Vegas with two roommates. In the 1970s, Alan served for two years in the Army as a Military Police officer. He is passionate about refurbishing homes and worked hard to update the house he is living in with his friends.
Sadly, Alan’s teeth had been deteriorating for a long time. In recent years, he had several teeth removed, a couple have broken and more have become loose. Alan was in severe pain and struggled to find food he could eat without making his pain worse.
Unfortunately, Alan could not afford the dental treatment he so desperately needed. His SSI was consumed by his daily living expenses, and he did not receive dental benefits from the VA. Alan was desperate for his teeth to be restored so he could eat his favorite foods without pain and smile again with his grandkids.
One of Dental Lifeline Network’s partners, PDS Health, recently hosted its 16th annual Smile Generation Serve Day, a nationwide day of service dedicated to providing dental care to underserved patients. Through their strategic partnership, DLN connects eligible DDS patients like Alan with participating PDS offices. On PDS Health’s Serve Day, Dr. Jennifer Brown from Spring Valley Modern Dentistry began Alan’s lifechanging dental treatment by providing fillings and extractions, with upper and lower partial dentures on the way!
“I feel so lucky, because a veteran usually doesn’t get this opportunity,” shared Alan. “It’s going to be lifechanging for me, being able to eat steak and pork chops again. I’m looking forward to smiling again.”
On this Serve Day, 11 DDS patients were seen in participating PDS Health offices nationwide, starting their journeys toward lifechanging dental care.
Want to see more of Alan’s transformation? Watch his full story on DLN’s Instagram and LinkedIn pages.
