Congressman Doug Collins of Gainesville addressed concerns about dental care for Georgia veterans in a letter to Atlanta Department of Veterans Affairs Director Ann Brown Thursday, Oct. 8.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the only dental care currently available to veterans through the VA is that classified as urgent or emergent. However, Collins argued in his letter that this care is not adequate and that foregoing regular dental cleanings can lead to serious problems.
"Dental needs that fall between a routine cleaning and an emergency extraction, if left untreated, inevitably become emergency dental issues, and in the meantime cause inexcusable complication and suffering to the veteran," Collins wrote. "Our veterans deserve the highest standard of care we can offer and the VA’s exclusion of many dental treatments due to the coronavirus is requiring veterans to seek care elsewhere."
Collins asked the VA to provide a detailed report of available dental services and plans no later than Oct. 22 to help veterans understand the care available to them.
"It is my hope that the VA can reach a positive resolution for our veterans continuing to suffer with dental issues left untreated by the VA," Collins said in the letter.
To read the full letter, click here.
