8th ANNUAL EVENT HONORS TEXOMA U.S. MILITARY VETS
WITH FREE DENTAL TREATMENT ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19

(SHERMAN, TEX.) Since 2016, more than 600 U.S. Military Veterans have received free dental services during “Keep Veterans Smiling Day” in Grayson County. Sherman dentist Dr. Sam Nechamkin established the private foundation that sponsors the annual event.

This is the eighth year Dr. Nechamkin and his staff will provide no-cost dental treatment for local Veterans during an all-day open house. Veterans are eligible to receive a cleaning, a filling, or an extraction during this day of giving back. With rare exceptions for service-related causes, Veterans do not qualify for care through the Veterans Administration six months after separation from the military.

“Our goal is to give back to these Americans who put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms. We treat as many Veterans as possible from the time we open the doors at 8:00 am, through the end of the day,” said Nechamkin. “By keeping the treatment choices simple, we can serve the greatest number of patients during the nine hours dedicated entirely to our Vets.”

Last year, the Grayson County Commissioners Court proclaimed the third Tuesday in September each year will now be known as “Keep Veterans Smiling Day.”

Who Qualifies for Treatment?

Anyone who has served in a branch of the United States Armed Forces can take advantage of the opportunity for dental care on September 19. No appointments are scheduled as the day is first come, first served. Doors open at 8:00 am and patients are registered on a first-come, first-served basis. “It’s a very orderly process as you might expect from a group of veterans,” said Nechamkin.

Important Information About What Steps Are Required

Some treatments will require oral surgery. To ensure that each patient is prepared, each applicant must review what medical conditions might cause concern. Those can be found at the Keep Veterans Smiling website https://keepveteranssmiling.org/pretreatment-information/

An Opportunity for Extensive Treatment

 Nechamkin said he understands that many veterans have serious dental health issues and founded the not-for-profit to address those concerns. “You can imagine that during our examinations, we see some serious problems and we wanted to find a way to address those, too,” said Nechamkin.

Each year, Veterans who need a more extensive treatment plan can get extra attention. The Keep Veterans Smiling foundation accepts applications from individual veterans and recommendations from family and friends to be considered for additional dental treatment.

“Since we began this program, we have been able to provide more comprehensive dental care for several Veterans who needed much more than we could provide in a single visit,” said Nechamkin. Based on a review of applications and recommendations, and after consultation with the Veteran and family members, Dr. Nechamkin has been able to donate his services for major treatment that could have cost the veteran tens of thousands of dollars.

“It is such a blessing for us to bring smiles back to our honored veterans and often remove years of pain and embarrassment because of the inability to access the kind of dental care we can provide through this program,” said Nechamkin.

Veterans can apply personally to be considered for extensive treatment. A family member or friend can also recommend a Veteran. To download or complete an application online, visit www.KeepVeteransSmiling.org or pick up an application in person at Premier Dentistry, 1005 E. Sara Swamy Drive, Sherman, Texas 75090, during regular clinic hours Monday-Thursday, 8:00 am-5:00 pm or Friday, 7:00 am-3:00 pm.

To learn more about the program and to find frequently asked questions, visit online at www.KeepVeteransSmiling.org or call (903) 868-9850.

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