This story is part of a series on the challenges and solutions related to oral health in Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio. It is made possible with funding support from the Delta Dental Foundation.
When it comes to dental care for veterans, Dr. Howard A. Hamerink and Jim Yates are committed to filling the gap left by federal benefits.
Since 2012, the
Victors for Veterans program, led by Hamerink and with volunteer dentist support, has been providing free dental care to veterans who do not qualify for treatment through the
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Hamerink, an assistant clinical professor in prosthodontics at the University of Michigan and director of the program, says the need is staggering.
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Doug CoombeDental hygienist Sarah Cawthon, Dr. Ken Marriott, and dental hygienist Rylee Miller treat a patient at VINA Community Dental Clinic in Brighton.
“About 96% to 97% of discharged veterans receive no oral health care,” he says.
He and Yates, the Rural Veterans Project manager for the
Michigan Center for Rural Health and coordinator for the Upper Peninsula Together with Veterans program, have worked to expand awareness and access for underserved veterans.
Unlike many veterans’ programs that offer one-day events, Victors for Veterans offers year-round treatment.
At its clinics, interns provide care under the direct supervision of volunteer faculty dentists every Friday or every other Friday in Brighton and Traverse City, with a new clinic set to launch in Lansing this month. The program also is opening an Upper Peninsula location at the Hannahville Health Center, which serves the Hannahville Potawatomi Indian Community, and provides care at a site in Pontiac.
“No one else has a program like this one. It’s been functioning for 13 years,” Hamerink says.
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Doug CoombeU of M School of Dentistry Associate Director of Community Based Dental Education Dr. Howard Hamerink at the VINA Community Dental Clinic in Brighton.
With the Lansing clinic set to open, Hamerink sees even more opportunities to serve veterans.
“We take veterans from a compromised oral health situation to a functional, aesthetic result,” he says. “And then, hopefully, they will maintain what they have and move forward in their lives.”
‘They actually care’
Marine veteran Thomas Jones moved from Georgia to Michigan seeking better health care and found it at the
Ann Arbor VA Medical Center. The move also gave him access to dental care through Victors for Veterans. Jones gets care at
VINA Community Center in Brighton.
"I'm truly, truly thankful," says Jones, who began with twice-weekly treatments for serious issues and now receives free care every other Friday.
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Thomas Jones
Unable to afford dental services before, Jones learned about the program from a local service representative who helped him get urgent treatment.
"It was a blessing," he says. "I was in so much pain."
Jones, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1980-83, believes the care has significantly improved his well-being.
"Dental pain throws everything off; you can't move, you can't do anything," he says. "It's a key part of healing, and I'm so grateful."
For Jones, the program has restored the care and dignity he lacked elsewhere, and he urges other veterans to explore their options.
"The medical and dental care has been life-changing," he says. "They actually care."
Students drove program’s beginning
The program is personal for Hamerink. His family has served in the military since the Revolutionary War. The program’s roots also trace back to Dr. Bill PIskorowski, the son of Polish immigrants who survived World War II concentration camps.
“His mother told him, ‘If you can ever do something nice for a veteran, I expect you to do that,’” Hamerink says. “That was the spark that started it all.”
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Doug CoombeDr. Ken Marriott, patient Thomas Jones, and dental hygienist Sarah Cawthon at the VINA Community Dental Clinic in Brighton.
Victors for Veterans started as an initiative with five student interns; it now has 55. In 2010, a group of students in U-M’s Pathways Program researched where veterans could receive oral health care after discharge. Their findings were disheartening.
“In order to receive oral health care from the Veterans Administration, you had to meet one of three criteria: prisoner of war, combat-related oral-facial injury, or total disability with an oral-facial injury,” Hamerink says.
After realizing that nearly all veterans did not qualify, the students, under Hamerink’s guidance, created a solution. They started a clinic in Gaylord, which has since expanded to multiple locations.
The program often receives requests from underserved regions.
“In the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, we have maybe one dentist for two counties,” Hamerink says. “I have some 80-year-old doctors who aren’t retiring because if they leave, there’s nobody within 100 miles of them.”
The program relies on volunteer dentists and student intern rotations. Hamerink says recruitment is ongoing, but the program has built a strong network of providers.
Dentists looking to volunteer as supervising faculty should contact Hamerink. (
[email protected])
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Doug CoombeDental hygienist Rylee Miller, patient Louie Hampton, and Dr. Howard Hamerink at the VINA Community Dental Clinic in Brighton.
Victors for Veterans is the beneficiary of grants from the
Delta Dental Foundation that provide dental care to veterans who would otherwise go without treatment. Delta Dental Foundation also partners with the Michigan Center for Rural Health in closing the gaps in dental care for veterans.
Victors for Veterans also receives grants from the
Michigan Dental Association Foundation.
“One of our strategic aims is improving access to dental care for people and communities who experience barriers to getting care,” says Holli Seabury, executive director of the Delta Dental Foundation. “The reality is that veterans, especially in rural communities, have unique oral health needs that aren't being met. And for me, it's personal: I'm the daughter of a veteran. I have two sons on active duty—one on a combat deployment. I understand firsthand many of the challenges veterans and their families face when it comes to dentistry."
The Delta Dental Foundation has committed to a six-year grant renewal process, while the MDA Foundation operates on a three-year renewal.
“Both foundations recognize the need and have stepped up to ensure this program remains available,” Hamerink says.
Those looking to support the program can make donations through the University of Michigan’s Victors for Veterans fund.
“It’s good to get the word out,” Hamerink says. “We serve the unserved who served.”
Acute need in rural areas
Accessing routine dental care is a significant challenge for many veterans, particularly those living in rural communities. Only 15% of veterans qualify for dental care through the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), leaving many to navigate complex barriers to receive necessary treatment.
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Jim Yates
A recent survey of more than 1,300 veterans in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula found that dental care was the second-highest unmet need, right after home repairs. Yates says this underscores the severity of the problem, with some veterans resorting to pulling their own teeth due to a lack of access to care.
"That’s alarming," he says. "It speaks to the lack of services available and the barriers they face, whether it’s cost, awareness, or just access to a provider."
A 2022 report from the American Institute of Dental Public Health and CareQuest Institute highlights the disparities rural veterans face in accessing dental care. According to the report:
- Rural veterans are more likely to rate their dental health as "poor" (35.5%) compared with urban veterans (28.5%).
- Nearly half of rural veterans (49.3%) do not qualify for dental care coverage through the VHA, compared with 39.6% of urban veterans.
- Rural veterans are more likely to have or need dentures (39.8%) than their urban counterparts (23%).
- They also pay higher out-of-pocket costs for dental care compared with urban veterans.
Yates says many veterans are unaware of available resources or struggle to access care due to provider shortages and cost barriers.
"We try to keep in mind a ‘no wrong door’ policy when working with veterans," Yates says. "There are so many programs and benefits available, but sometimes they might be utilizing one and not the other. They might not be eligible for everything, or they may not even know they’re eligible for certain services."
Yates notes that not all veterans qualify for VA health care, though more are becoming eligible due to new legislation like the PACT Act.
“We go back out and tell them, ‘If you were denied in the past, come back and reapply,’” he says. Even for those receiving VA health care, only about a third get care at a VA facility, while others rely on VA Community Care providers or private insurance.
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Courtesy Veterans gather at a Rural Veterans Project health care fair services in Schoolcraft County in 2023.
"Health care is covered for some veterans, but dental care is often left out," Yates says. "When we started looking into this issue, we saw a significant gap. We’ve learned just how many overall health issues can be identified during a dental exam – things like cancer, infections, and other conditions. Dentists aren’t just checking your teeth; they’re looking at overall health indicators."
Through veteran service organizations and community events, Yates and his team are working to spread the word and connect veterans with the care they need.
"If we can get a veteran in the door, whether for a dental exam, a health screening, or even a meal, we can connect them to more services," he says. "The key is getting the word out. We need to make sure veterans and their families know what’s available, and we need to keep working with providers to expand access."
Photos by Doug Coombe