Aspen Dental to offer free services for veterans

Appointments remain available for military veterans seeking free dental care at Aspen Dental in Jefferson City.

About 5,000 veterans nationally are expected to receive treatment June 9 as part of Aspen Dental's fifth annual Day of Service. The office at 2226 Missouri Blvd. in Jefferson City opened in December 2016, so last year was its first year participating in the event. Staff were able to treat 15 veterans free of charge in 2017.

Veterans may call 1-844-277-3646 to schedule an appointment. Treatments will be available from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Aspen teams will focus on getting veterans out of pain and taking care of their most urgent needs. Services typically include filling cavities, performing extractions and conducting cleanings.

Although veterans receive health benefits through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, they are not eligible for dental benefits unless they are 100 percent disabled, have a service-related mouth injury or were prisoners of war. Many veterans may struggle to find oral health care when they need it, according to an Aspen Dental news release.

The Day of Service event is part of Aspen's Healthy Mouth Movement, a community-giving initiative that delivers free dental care to veterans. Since the movement began, about 10,000 Aspen Dental staff have contributed more than $10 million in donated dentistry to more than 17,000 patients, according to the news release.