Aspen Dental’s Annual Day of Service Is Nov. 7

Aspen Dental’s Day of Service returns Saturday, Nov. 7, with free dental care for veterans at certain offices nationwide. The company says anyone who has served in any branch of the military is eligible.

A dentist who participates describes the process:

“Anything recommended is completely free. Any treatment is completely free,” Dr. Jere S. Gillan Jr., a dentist and owner of the Aspen Dental office in Waterford Lakes in Orlando, Fla., told Military.com. “There will be no bill sent to them after that case.”

Related: Veterans Day 2026

What Happens at the Appointment

Gillan said veterans are greeted as new patients and asked for a medical history. The team figures out what has been bothering them, takes the X-rays needed, and arrives at a diagnosis. The visit is built around one procedure. “It’s usually like a one-procedure kind of thing, whether a filling fell out or maybe they need a tooth extracted,” he said. “We certainly do want to get them out of pain.”

Aspen’s website describes the appointments as about 30 minutes, with a limited exam and X-rays, then the most urgent needs. Examples include:

• Fillings
• Extractions
• Basic cleanings
• Denture repair

Gillan, a retired Air Force technical sergeant, said he also asks about patients’ time in service. Some have turned out to have served in the same region and period he did.

What Veterans Come In With

Extractions are the most common need, Gillan said, “whether it’s abscessed or just broken.” Many others come in mainly for a cleaning. In the program’s first years, he said, the offices staffed only dentists and assistants — then learned something. “I noticed that veterans were coming in really because they hadn’t had their teeth cleaned in a long time,” he said. Hygienists now come in for the day.

Gillan, describing his office’s practice, said no. “They will not be contacted to [ask], ‘Hey, how was your service? Can you give us a five-star review?’ Nothing like that,” he said. “We certainly are not about trying to pester anybody.” He said veterans who want to stay on as patients are welcome, but the day is not a sales pitch. He was describing his office’s practice.

When One Visit Is Not Enough

For veterans who need more care than one visit covers and cannot afford it, Gillan said his office gives out a list of organizations that can help. In Orlando, he said, that includes four or five groups that “fill in some of the gaps where the VA doesn’t.” He estimated that “maybe one or two veterans” who receive the free treatment sign up for a paid treatment plan.

ClearChoice Donating Full-Arch Treatment

Aspen said in its news release announcing the 2026 program that ClearChoice Dental Implant Centers is joining the effort for the first time, with veterans referred by an Aspen doctor for an evaluation and, if clinically appropriate, full-arch treatment at no cost. Aspen and ClearChoice are part of The Aspen Group.

Full-arch treatment replaces a row of teeth with a prosthetic attached to implants in the jawbone. At retail, Gillan said, it runs $30,000 to $50,000. He called it “a huge gift” to veterans.

The release said ClearChoice plans to donate up to $1 million in treatment. Gillan said a referral could come up when a veteran wants the entire mouth rehabilitated and that the most likely candidates are complicated cases.

Proof of Service, Appointments and Walk-Ins

Gillan said his office does not check for proof of service. “So it’s just [the] honor system, to be honest,” he said. “We’re not checking IDs at the door.” Aspen’s website, though, asks veterans to bring a valid ID and documentation such as a DD-214, so veterans may want to bring them.

Appointments are encouraged. In past years, Gillan said, “Mostly every appointment is filled,” and 80 to 90 percent of patients show up. He said his office also sees walk-ins, but Aspen’s website says walk-in service is not guaranteed.

How to Book

Scheduling opened Sept. 29 at www.aspendental.com/dayofservice or by phone at 844-277-3646. Aspen says the program began in 2014 and has treated more than 30,000 veterans and donated more than $28 million in care. Space is limited, and not every office takes part, so veterans should check which locations are participating.

Gillan’s advice for veterans on the fence is to expect an opportunity to share their story. “We’re going to be asking about their time and service,” he said.