Veterans Served with Day of Free Screenings, Access to Care

Penn Dental Medicine students with some of the Veterans who received free screenings as part of the Veterans service day.

Philadelphia – Penn Dental Medicine opened its doors to Veterans on December 12 for a day of free oral screenings and assistance in getting the dental care they need at Penn Dental Medicine. The service day was booked to capacity with 54 Veterans from the region participating.

“We were honored to serve Veterans in our community and look forward to continuing to build our outreach in this area,” says Dr. Joan Gluch, Division Chief of Community Oral Health. “Through our working relationship with the Philadelphia VA Hospital, we know the dental care needs are great for many Veterans, and we want them to know Penn Dental is a place they can find care.”

On this day of service, Penn Dental Medicine students and faculty provided free comprehensive screening exams, including oral cancer screenings, as well as free x-rays as needed. Participating Veterans also received oral health care information and supplies, and clinical staff worked with them to schedule follow-up care.

“Our students, staff, and faculty did a tremendous job in making this day a success,” says Dr. Najeed Saleh, Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs, “and participating Veterans were greatly appreciative. We look forward to continuing to serve them.”

With the goal of supporting Veterans’ oral health care needs on an ongoing basis, Penn Dental Medicine recently introduced a Veterans discount for dental care at the School, with an initial 20% discount followed with a sliding scale fee schedule. In addition, a special appointment line devoted solely to serving Veterans has been established at 215-573-VETS.

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