A new Oregon program offering dental insurance for veterans launches this month — and state officials say they have funding to serve about 10 times more veterans than have enrolled so far.
They are encouraging veterans to contact their county or tribal Veterans Service Office to submit an application.
The program, known as the Oregon Veteran Dental Program, covers the same basic dental care that the state provides to Medicaid recipients through the Oregon Health Plan.
Annual teeth cleanings, fillings, extractions, dentures and emergency care are among the services available for free under the state’s Veteran Dental Plan. However, it does not cover more complex treatments like bridges.
“If you don’t feel good about your teeth, you don’t smile and don’t feel confident and it has downstream implications,” said Kelly Fitzpatrick, director of the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs. “Veterans who may need some help with their oral care and not get it may not feel confident going into a job interview or other things that we all take for granted.”
Source: Free dental insurance now available to many Oregon veterans / The Lund Report