The Maine Bureau of Veterans’ Services (MBVS) and eight participating clinics, including the UMA Dental Hygiene Clinic in Bangor, will provide dental hygiene services to veterans unable to afford preventive dental care. The Maine Veterans’ Dental Network, which is overseen by MBVS, received a $35,000 grant from Northeast Delta Dental to serve veterans who do not otherwise have dental coverage or cannot afford dental care.
The UMA Dental Hygiene Clinic received $4,000 of this grant funding to provide preventive dental hygiene services (e.g. cleanings) for qualifying veterans. This program will also provide UMA’s dental hygiene program students with valuable clinical experiences under the supervision of UMA’s Dental Hygiene faculty.
To receive dental hygiene services, veterans must provide a copy of their DD-214 (discharge papers) to the clinic and grant permission to forward the document to MBVS for inclusion in its database. If the veteran does not have a copy of their DD-214, MBVS can assist them in acquiring one by submitting the State of Maine Request Form located on the MBVS website.
To make an appointment, eligible veterans may contact the UMA Dental Hygiene Clinic at 207-262-7872 to schedule a free dental cleaning, including X-rays and fluoride treatment. The UMA Dental Hygiene Clinic is located at 201 Texas Ave, Bangor.