On Thursday, August 23 the Minnesota Veterans Home - Minneapolis made history by opening the first of its kind dental clinic on a State Veterans Home campus. Veterans, elected officials, sponsors and supporters gathered for a “floss cutting” ceremony and grand opening August 23. Many Veterans homes today have mobile dentistry services, but this is the first fixed dental clinic in the country at a State Veterans Home, where there is a clear partnership between the federal VA and a community dentist who is an integrated team member in the Home. 

While thanking the sponsors at Thursday’s event, Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner Larry Shellito said, “We’ve been very, very fortunate in the State of Minnesota that Veterans take care of Veterans. I thank them and the ability to have this new clinic and to give far more comprehensive care to our Veterans. When it comes to serving Veterans, I’m inspired here by the dedication of the leaders and our staff on the team. I call them LAD payments, LAD stands for love and devotion. This is love and devotion. This is not a business opportunity, or a business function, this is people taking care of people and it’s absolutely special.”

This project was made possible through a unique public/private partnership between the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, Delta Dental of Minnesota Foundation, Minnesota Veterans 4 Veterans Trust Fund (V4V), and the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) of Minnesota Foundation.  

Kim Mageau, Delta Dental of Minnesota Foundation Board Chair, spoke at the event. 

“This collaboration has allowed us to now bring dental health access to our Veterans,” Mageau said. “Our mission at Delta Dental of Minnesota Foundation is to improve oral health access for all of the underserved and that includes our Veterans, who have really put their lives on the line to protect the very foundation of our democracy and they deserve our protection and oral health care access for them as well. Oral health after all, is connected and inspires good overall health. There’s nothing better than feeling good about your mouth and your smile, to lift your head a little higher every day.” 

The Minneapolis Veterans Home will now be able to better serve Veterans by providing critical restorative dental care and an enhanced focus on oral healthcare. 

“Commissioner Shellito serves as an advisor to the Veterans 4 Veterans Trust Fund, and he always encourages us to look for things that will make a profound impact, a high impact and a broad impact to the Veterans of Minnesota,” said Dean Ascheman, Representative for the Veterans 4 Veterans Trust Fund. “This project was exactly that.”

View pictures from the event here.

More information >>