Veterans Benefit in More Ways Than One with Penn Dental Medicine

Active duty military and veterans comprise the backbone of the nation. And, because of their sacrifice and commitment, Penn Dental Medicine offers several special initiatives to help ensure our veterans’ dental needs are addressed. In addition to providing special discounts on dental services for veterans, Penn Dental Medicine has the highest number of graduates serving as Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP) officers than any other dental school in the nation.

We make dental services affordable to veterans, while also offering comprehensive care at the hands of dental students with military backgrounds. And, all our dental students have the backing of leading, expert faculty members.

Learn more about how veterans can benefit from opting for quality dental care at Penn Dental Medicine. And, hear from one of our very own, HPSP dental students—Casey G.— who shares his experience with PDM.

Dental Care for Veterans Provided by Veterans

We are in a unique position at PDM to be able to offer veterans special discounts on dental services and invite HPSP students to attend dental school at the University of Pennsylvania.

Casey, a third-year dental student on an army HPSP, echoes these benefits.

“Veteran patients are not only being seen by one dentist, as you would in a private dental practice,” Casey says, “but they are able to experience a lot of minds coming together to find a solution that best meets their needs.”

The dental needs that Casey speaks of include:

• Endodontics
• General Dentistry
• Oral Medicine
• Orthodontics
• Pediatric Dentistry
• Periodontics
• Prosthodontics
• Radiology

All veterans are eligible for a 20% dental discount on a sliding-scale fee schedule for the dental services above.

“At PDM you get the best care you can possibly receive, not just from a financial aspect but also because of the comprehensive care we give to each and every patient,” Casey says.

And, there is the added value for veterans being served by fellow military who understand the intricacies that civilians may not fully comprehend.

“It’s not uncommon for veterans to have not seen a dentist in a while,” Casey says. “ We can build trust with them gradually, and as someone in the military, can also share our experience with them.”

As the (army branch) president of the UPenn military dentistry club, Casey is one of roughly 50 students on an HPSP scholarship.

“Many HPSP students have zero miliary background,” Casey says. “The military sends you to officer training school, where they provide information to each branch (respectively) about what it is like to be an officer and dentist in the military.”

The military dentistry club further introduces what it’s actually like to be in the military by inviting monthly speakers (from the field) to share their experience.

Once he graduates from UPenn, Casey will fulfill a four-year army contract, followed by four years in reserves.

“After graduation, there are lots of post-residency options,” Casey says, “from oral surgery and advanced dental education to orthodontics to periodontics.”

More Dental Health Care And Benefits

In addition to HPSP students, many PDM faculty dentists are veterans, including Dr. Tom Berardi and Dr. Woody Kotch. Together, our students and experienced faculty are dedicated to ensuring veterans receive the best dental care, taking advantage of every dental benefit afforded to them.

As we mentioned earlier, this includes a 20% discount on dental services, a sliding-scale fee schedule, and numerous payment options. These include most private insurance providers, Medicaid, CareCredit, and 24-, 36-, 48-, and 60-month fixed-rate installment programs as well as a 6-month no interest if paid-in-full program.

We also prioritize dental appointments for veterans, with an exclusive and dedicated phone line: 215-573-VETS(8387).

On behalf of Casey and his fellow HPSP dental students, our veteran faculty, and our entire PDM staff, honor you, veterans, and invite you to experience our quality, patient-centered care.

Please call 215-573-VETS(8387) to set up your dental treatment. Or click here to contact us.