Operation Stand Down 2023 Offers Free Dental Care to Eligible Arkansas Veterans Nov. 3

Operation Stand Down returns to Arkansas for the second year to provide free dental care to eligible Arkansas veterans.

What is Operation Stand Down?

Operation Stand Down is a one-day, multi-state event hosted by the International College of Dentists to provide free dental care to eligible veterans. Dentists donate their expertise and even clinics to treat patients on the designated day, usually in connection with Veterans Day.

In 2023, Operation Stand Down will be coordinated by the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs and take place on November 3 at six different locations:

• Arkadelphia
• Fayetteville
• Fort Smith
• Jonesboro
• Little Rock and
• Pine Bluff.

How Can Veterans Get Free Dental Care During Operation Stand Down?

Veterans must request an appointment for dental care services by emailing Gina Chandler at the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs at gina.chandler@arkansas.gov or calling 501-682-6487.

Proof of discharge papers, a DD214, will be required for verification purposes.

Veterans will be assigned a specific appointment time at the regional site clinic nearest to their location. Appointments will be made on a first-come, first-serve basis. Priority will be given to acute or urgent treatments.

No walk-ins will be accepted on the day of Operation Stand Down.

What Types of Dental Treatments Will Be Offered During Operation Stand Down?

Each regional dental site will ultimately determine which procedures to offer or perform during Operation Stand Down.

Treatment classifications are as follows:

*Acute/Urgent - Patient is in pain and needs immediate relief/resolution of pain

• Extraction(s) due to severe decay, periodontal disease or abscess
• Other oral surgical procedures, resolution of swelling, biopsy, etc.
• Restoration (filling) of deep cavities on vital teeth (isolated occurrence)
• Curettage of isolated periodontal pockets(isolated area)

**Necessary/Needed (not urgent) - Obvious dental disease but not painful

• Moderate to incipient dental decay or gum disease (periodontitis)
• Isolated fractured teeth with minimal to no decay present

***Routine/Maintenance – semi-annual recall and ongoing maintenance

• Periodic oral examinations and X-rays, as well as prophylaxis
• Restorative work as needed (fillings)

Who Sponsors Operation Stand Down?

The main sponsor for Operation Stand Down 2023 is the Delta Dental of Arkansas Foundation, which provided a $15,000 grant for dental supplies to be shared among the six clinic sites.

The event is largely a volunteer effort.

In 2023, 2 Delta Dental of Arkansas executives and 5 corporate board members are among the dentists planning and volunteering at the event, including

• Thomas Redd, DDS, MS, VP of Professional Relations, Delta Dental of Arkansas
• Niki Carter, DMD, MPH, Dental Director at Delta Dental of Arkansas
• Ned Alley, DDS, of Little Rock, board member, Delta Dental of Arkansas
• R. Mark Bailey, DDS, of Waldron, board member, Delta Dental of Arkansas
• Troy Bartels, DDS, of Jonesboro, board member, Delta Dental of Arkansas
• Cara Jones, DDS, of Little Rock and Pine Bluff, board member, Delta Dental of Arkansas Foundation
• David Bell, DDS, of Arkadelphia, former board member, Delta Dental of Arkansas

Drs. Alley, Bartels, Jones and Bell have donated their clinics as sites.

Also donating their clinics for Operation Stand Down are River Valley Smile Center of Fort Smith and Beavers & Broomfield Dentistry of Fayetteville. 

They will be joined by about 50 dentists statewide who will treat eligible veterans for free.

In addition to the grant from the Delta Dental of Arkansas Foundation, the event has received financial support from ArcBest of Fort Smith, Patterson Dental Little Rock, and Edmonds Dental Supply of Springfield, Mo.

How Did Operation Stand Down Get Started?

Operation Stand Down was launched in 2012 by Dr. Daniel Fridh of La Porte, Ind. A practicing dentist and Air Force veteran, he sought to devise a scalable solution to the poor oral health he observed among many fellow service members and their families. He began offering a designated day of free dental care to his ex-military patients and encouraged fellow dentists to do likewise.

Since then, Operation Stand Down has grown into a multi-state project.

In Arkansas, it was offered for the first time in 2022.

Grant Opportunities from the Delta Dental of Arkansas Foundation

The Delta Dental of Arkansas Foundation seeks to build dynamic partnerships with Arkansas non-profits, government agencies and schools to develop long-term solutions to improve the oral health of Arkansans.

It aims to fund projects and initiatives that prevent severe oral health issues to avoid costly interventions later on.

Smaller-scale, transactional programs are still being funded as the Foundation works with organizations to integrate oral health into existing or new programs.

Check out all funding opportunities here.