More than half a million veterans call Michigan home—and nationally, fewer than 15 percent are eligible for dental benefits through the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA). As a result, the remaining 85 percent may face significant challenges accessing the care they need. In fact, a white paper by the American Institute of Dental Public Health and CareQuest Institute for Oral Health suggests that 56% of veterans reported “active and treated decay” compared to 37 percent of non-veterans.

In 2023, more than 2,000 veterans received care from a My Community Dental Centers (MCDC) location in Michigan. MCDC centers provide care for all, including those on Medicaid or those who are uninsured.

In observance of Veterans Day, MCDC provides free dental care to veterans in multiple Michigan locations with grant support from the Delta Dental Foundation and the MDA Foundation. During each appointment, the MCDC care team triages the patient, focusing on treating their most urgent dental needs, then develops a treatment plan to help veterans get and stay out of pain.

On Nov. 3, as part of this year’s Veterans Day of Caring, an event created by the MCDC’s Detroit location, nearly $20,000 worth of care was provided to 74 veterans.

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