Before reading any further, take a look at the picture of Amy Bergeron, who I featured a couple months ago as the recipient of Waubonsee Community College’s prestigious Presidential Award and a stellar example of how Kane County’s Veterans Treatment Court can be so transformational in the lives of those who were in the military struggling with addiction.
Notice her beautiful smile.
When I interviewed Bergeron for that previous column, the Army veteran was reluctant to send me a current photo because her past drug abuse – she became addicted to the pain medication Tramadol after an on-duty accident – left her with horrible teeth and no ability to pay for all the dental work that needed to be done.
But within a couple days of introducing her to Patricia DeVore, founder of the Veterans Smile Program, this 36-year-old wife and mother was in a North Aurora dental chair. Thirteen teeth extractions, bone grafting and a set of dentures later, Bergeron is more than proud to show off that smile, which she declares, “has made me feel like I am normal again.”
The bill for Bergeron’s oral work came to $2,350, which is close to the average cost per veteran for services provided by this program that got started eight years ago under the Montgomery VFW Post Auxiliary.
It was founded by Patricia DeVore after she learned her brother, an Army veteran, had pulled all his rotting teeth using pliers because he could not get help through the Veterans Administration.
Using her training as a medical claims negotiator and working from her kitchen table with a small staff of volunteers, DeVore has taken this once local effort and turned it into a national nonprofit organization, which relies mostly on grants, corporations and generous community groups to keep up with a growing demand.
For the most part, “the money trickles in,” she said. But throughout the month of November, the Batavia Moose Riders Motorcycle Chapter is dedicating its fundraising to Veterans Smile, and she is receiving an $11,000 grant over the next year from Elgin’s Grand Victoria Casino, which can be used for Kane County veterans.
A week ago, DeVore was brought to tears at the Yorkville American Legion Post when she was surprised with a $10,000 check from 100+ Women Who Care of Oswego, Montgomery and Yorkville, the single largest donation to date.
Unfortunately, funding can’t keep up with the many “horror stories” from desperate veterans who are denied dental services through the Veterans Administration’s limited and often confusing set of requirements, she said.
The federal government “is just putting a Band-Aid” on the problem, DeVore insisted. Adding to her frustrations are that two bills in Congress which would mandate the VA provide free dental care for all veterans have been stuck in both the House and Senate.
In the eight years since she started this effort, no veteran has been turned away, she said, including a local man recently screened who has been toothless the past 10 years, and a vet who is struggling with so much mouth pain he is losing considerable weight and dealing with suicidal thoughts.
“Unfortunately, this is not an unusual situation, especially with our younger veterans,” said DeVore. “It just blows my mind that people don’t understand how oral care relates to overall medical health.”
The services provided by this program not only give these veterans “who are suffering in silence” back their smiles and confidence, she told me, it has literally saved lives by identifying oral cancers and deadly staph infections.
“We don’t just want to give them back their smile – that’s the easy part,” DeVore said. “We give them back their mental and physical health. It changes their lives and they are so appreciative.”
Dental program for veterans something to smile about