For every assist made this season by Boston’s professional basketball forward Sam Hauser and his teammates, Delta Dental of Massachusetts will donate $25—up to a total of $50,000—to the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine (TUSDM) Cares for Veterans program. 

The effort, which launched on Oct. 22, is part of the Delta Dental Veterans Assist campaign, in partnership with 98.5 The Sports Hub, the Boston Celtics Radio Network. 

“This generous donation will help TUSDM Cares for Veterans reach our mission of connecting veterans in need of oral health care to a provider of dental services to veterans at minimal to no cost,” said Kathryn Dolan, an assistant professor of public health and community service at the School of Dental Medicine and the faculty lead on the program.

The TUSDM Cares for Veterans program was established in 2019 by Brent Mullen, D20, and Keith Nguyen, D20, Iraq War combat veterans and then-dental students at the School of Dental Medicine. Originally called Service with a Smile, the program is one of more than 40 active student organizations engaging with the community in and around Boston.

“When Keith and I were in dental school, we started volunteering at the New England Center and Home for Veterans, serving meals, and by talking to them, we realized most of them had no access to dental care,” Mullen said. “We brainstormed how we could take our passion for dentistry and help out the veterans by getting them comprehensive care.”

As Nguyen and Mullen prepared to graduate, the COVID-19 pandemic set in and caused the program to pause, but dental students had already assisted 30 veterans in receiving care at that point. That number has since grown into the hundreds, and the dental curriculum now requires students to provide services for TUSDM Cares for Veterans patients.

Mullen, who practiced as an Army dentist for five years before recently transitioning to a role at Tulip Tree Family Health Care in Fort Branch, Indiana, was thrilled to hear about the Delta Dental’s support and is incredibly grateful that the school’s program continues to care for veterans in the Boston area. Providing dental care, Mullen said, can be life-changing for veterans.

“When you think about what a $50,000 gift can do and what kind of treatment can be provided with that funding, it’s a means of getting people back to living productive lives—and it’s awesome,” Mullen said. “Their overall self-confidence is going to change once they’ve been treated. It’s also going to provide an opportunity for students to work with more veterans and help others in their practices after they graduate.” 

According to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), dental care is consistently ranked by veterans experiencing homelessness as one of their top three unmet needs, along with long-term permanent housing and child care. Commonly reported problems include pain and missing teeth, which can be significant barriers to employment.

A 2013 study on the impact of dental care provided to veterans in VA transitional housing intervention programs found that those who received care were 30% more likely to complete their programs than those who did not, and they were 14% more likely to be employed or financially stable. 

Heather Stickler, D26, co-president of the Health Professions Scholarship Program student organization at TUSDM and a current Army reservist, said that becoming a part of the TUSDM Cares for Veterans program was one way she could serve her country and give back to the Army in particular.

“It’s a great program where the veterans are helping us—we’re learning dentistry and improving our clinical skills—and at the same time, we get to help them,” Stickler said. “One of the patients I see through the program hasn’t had dental benefits for many years, and so to be able to care for him after what he’s done for our country, done for me and everyone, it means a lot.” 

The program provides comprehensive dental care for hundreds of veterans at Tufts’ Boston-based dental teaching clinics, including dental exams, cleanings, x-rays, restorative work, root canals, dentures, and implants. 

Brad Stephens, an Army veteran, connected with Dolan in 2021 during an oral health screening at Brighton Marine, a non-profit organization which provides housing and health care for veterans. Stephens served in the Vietnam War but said his military pension alone wouldn’t provide enough for him to pay for dental care, so he is grateful to be a patient at Tufts University Dental Care Center through the TUSDM Cares for Veterans program.

“Receiving care through the program is tremendous,” Stephens, who grew up in Clinton, Massachusetts and now resides in Agawam, said. “Otherwise I wouldn’t be able to afford it.”

Stephens’ oral health care journey dates back decades to his childhood, when he had several teeth knocked out while playing ice hockey. That incident, coupled with other contributing factors, led him to need false teeth at a young age. One of the first steps in his care at Tufts was removing his 30-year-old implants, which he called obsolete. 

Stephens’ treatment plan has spanned several years, but the next steps are the most exciting: getting a new set of implants, which will allow his dentures to sit properly on his bottom gums, which Stephens said are shallow.

“I’m waiting for them to set up the appointment for the implant surgery, and then I’ll have teeth!” Stephens said.  

“This initiative reflects the power of collaboration—Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, 98.5 The Sports Hub, and Delta Dental coming together to make a meaningful impact,” said Erik Montlack, president of Delta Dental of Massachusetts. “By supporting the Veterans Assist program, we’re not just funding dental care, we’re restoring dignity and health to veterans who’ve faced homelessness. It’s a privilege to be part of this mission.”

As part of the just-launched Veterans Assist campaign, at the end of every game, announcers for the Sports Hub will share the total number of assists made and money donated to the Cares for Veterans program. The total amount raised can also be found on The Sports Hub's website. 

Hauser, who has played in Boston his entire career, is happy to lead the charge. 

“When you think about everything our veterans have sacrificed, it really puts things in perspective,” Hauser said. “I’m proud to play a small part in helping them get the care and support they need. Being part of something that gives back to them in a meaningful way is really special."