VOCARE: Student Perspectives
Feeling Honored to Answer the Call to Serve Veterans
NYU College of Dentistry is celebrating the second anniversary of the Veterans Oral Care Access Resource (VOCARE), part of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ VETSmile program. VETSmile is a pilot program designed to improve dental care access for veterans who are not eligible for dental care through the VA by partnering with community providers like NYU.
During the second year of VETSmile/VOCARE, 2,245 veterans received dental care over a total of 16,825 encounters. Nearly 32,000 procedures were completed.
VETSmile/VOCARE is a partnership between NYU Dentistry and the VA New York Harbor Healthcare System, which includes campuses in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island, and the VA Bronx Health Care/Veterans Affairs. Through the program, the VA New York Harbor Healthcare System and the Bronx VA refer veterans who are not eligible to receive dental services at the VA to NYU for comprehensive care at no out-of-pocket cost to the veteran.
Veterans are seen at NYU College of Dentistry in Manhattan and at NYU Dentistry Brooklyn Patient Care. Some veterans, including those with a history of post-traumatic stress disorder, are seen at the NYU Dentistry Oral Health Center for People with Disabilities, where the staff are trained with special skill sets to ensure quality treatment and holistic care for people with disabilities and complex medical conditions.
Global Health Nexus spoke recently with two Class of 2023 graduates, Dr. Rucha Thakkar and Dr. Alexandra Halpin. Both doctors consider it a priviliege to be able to provide dental care to veterans. “I feel honored to have the opportunity to help improve the oral health of the brave men and women who protect our country,” said Dr. Thakker, who was seconded by Dr. Halpin.
Both Drs. Thakkar and Halpin spoke about the need to build trust with their patients, many of whom suffer from psychological and physical issues that can complicate treatment, as well as a host of dental problems caused by years of neglect due to lack of access to care. Dr. Rucha noted that her veteran patients are “interested in every procedure we do, which we explain carefully to them to develop their trust and confidence. One patient expressed his gratitude by bringing me a box of chocolates!”
Dr. Halpin emphasized how understanding and appreciative the veterans are for the care they receive. “They understand that NYU is a teaching institution, and that there can be delays,” said Dr. Halpin. Dr. Rucha added that once trust is established, “they are patient and kind.”
One of the highlights of providing care for veterans is the ability to use CAD/CAM technology to take digital impressions for a crown after preparing the tooth.
“This is a major advance in treatment,” explains Dr. Halpin. It eliminates the need for the dental care provider to place a tray with a thick, gooey material (alginate) in the patient’s mouth and hold for five-to-six minutes until the material sets, which can be uncomfortable for the patient. In addition, in most cases and in the presence of a milling unit, CAD/CAM technology eliminates the need to send the impression to a lab to fabricate the crown, which means that the patient can leave with a completed crown after just one visit.”
Dr. Halpin added that “being able to fabricate the crown in one visit has made our lives and our patients’ lives so easy.”