Tips for dental providers to offer a more comfortable experience for our Veterans

#dentistry #Veterans #toptips
There are over 7.5 million servicemen and women enrolled VA health care system. According to a 2023 report, 85% of them are ineligible for dental benefits. Although there are dental school and clinics that offer lower cost dental care, we are hopeful that practices in your area work can help as well. Here's what we know from years of research. Childhood poverty is associated with entrance into military service AND military service and exposure to combat contribute to physical and mental trauma. Mix all of these factors together and you've got individuals with lower dental literacy, decreased access to care AND increased concerns like gum disease and decay. When you do see a Veteran, it's important to understand that they may be carrying the weight of dental anxiety.
Here are 3 tips for helping make their dental visit more comfortable:
Closer to camera give three pieces of advice for caring for veterans.
1-Ask if they have any noise sensitivities prior to using any tools. Headphones may help with this as well.
2-Give them explicit and direct oral care routines and let them take home a paper copy.
3-Draw a connection between mental health and the mouth as many veterans are taking medications that may affect their oral health