VetMOM - Veterans Mission of Mercy 
Titan Army National Guard Readiness Center - Nov. 14-16

2024 VETMOM Post Event Dental Data Summary

The 2024 VETMOM event was successfully conducted at the Titan Army National Guard Readiness Center. This humanitarian activity saw over 400 dental volunteers provide care to 396 unique Veterans and Spouses on Friday and Saturday. 67 was the average patient age. 42% of the individuals seen were between the age of 70-79, 70% of patients were Male and 30% were female. 23% of patients requested denture services. An additional 77 revisits were seen on Saturday for a total of 473 patient encounters. A total of 2,714 services were provided to these patients that had a total care value of $653,487 USD. The prosthodontic section provided 156 denture services for a value of $273,481. The oral surgery section provided 591 extraction services for a value of $151,204. Restorative section provided 208 services valued at $56,156 and there were 330 Preventive services with a value of $35,707. Other services were Evaluation, Imaging, Endodontics and RXs for a grand total of $653,487. The average amount of care given to each patient was $1,662.82. All these numbers are significantly higher than those achieved in the 2023 VETMOM.

Douglas, Lancaster Saunders and Sarpy residents made up 44% of the patients. The remaining 56% came from rural counties. 50% of Veterans traveled between 26-100 miles to arrive at the VETMOM site. 13% traveled over 250 miles. VA exit surveys indicate 97% of Veterans were very satisfied or satisfied with their VETMOM treatment outcomes. 99% were very likely or likely to recommend other Veterans attend a future VETMOM. 56% of these patients did not have a regular home dentist. 40% reported it had been 1-5 years since they had their last dental cleaning. Another 30% said it had been over 5 years since they had received any other type of dental service. The most common reasons for not getting dental care were cost, lack of insurance and transport to providers.

The above conclusion contains the hard numbers and facts from the VETMOM 2024. But the core reason why we come together as Americans to volunteer for this annual event can be found _in this comment received from a rural Veteran... "Thank you so much for the dental care clinic you recently organized in Yutan for Veterans. I can't describe what it meant to myself and so many other Nebraska Veterans who struggle with dental coverage and costs. Sometimes we feel forgotten for our service and the sacrifices we made to this country. Your organization, and all the volunteers, helped to prove that the majority of Nebraska hasn't taken us, nor their freedom, for granted!! Thank you and all volunteers for everything...they are the heroes!

The information contained in this After-Action Report dearly indicates that access to dental care services is a continuing health concern for Nebraska Veterans. Efforts should be made to continue the VETMOM event in 2025!

Respectfully Submitted
Dr. Charles F. Craft
NE State Dental Health Director
11 December 2024