Innovative dental treatments advancing Veteran care

Residents and providers learn to use the latest technology

Army Vietnam Veteran Anthony DiPrima lost all his teeth at 19 and avoided many foods and smiling for decades. After qualifying for VA dental care, DiPrima said a new dental implant transformed his life.

“The last year has been fantastic,” he said. “It used to be very hard smiling, and now, I’m the life of the party!”

Margaret Cochran Corbin VA has improved dental health for Veterans by training residents and providers in the latest state-of-the-art technology, expanding access to cutting-edge dental care.

Advanced dental treatments

The use of new dental technologies, including laser therapy and implant procedures, has become routine at the facility, with residents getting hands-on training in these innovations during their time with VA.

Assistant Chief of Dentistry Dr. Trevor Simmonds discussed how VA is using laser therapy and advanced lasers to treat gum tissue. “Laser treatment is a breakthrough in treating periodontal disease,” he said. Simmonds also noted it reduces bleeding, anxiety and has benefits for Veterans with complex medical conditions.

“Compared to the conventional approach, where we would have to cut and stitch [the gum], there is no cutting, no stitching,” said Simmonds. “It brings to the table in our field a minimally invasive approach for treating periodontal disease.”

Another innovative technology Margaret Cochran Corbin VA adopted is an implant technique called custom subperiosteal implant.

Dr. Gary Orentlicher, oral and maxillofacial surgeon, described the implants as a less-invasive, digitally designed, patient-specific procedure. Approved in the U.S. within the last few years, Orentlicher said the technique has been used in 14 cases at Margaret Cochran Corbin VA, primarily for Veterans 60 or older without enough bone for traditional implants.

“This implant is perfectly adapted to the patient’s anatomy, and it’s literally screwed into the patient’s jaw, making the implant exceptionally stable,” said Orentlicher. “It opens up an entire new treatment modality to patients with severe bone loss problems and just can’t have teeth conventionally.”

Most patients receive temporary teeth on surgery day and return later for permanent restorations, regaining function quickly.

Improving quality of life for Veterans

Marine Vietnam Veteran Thomas Mundy, a VA patient since 1968, described the dental care he receives as great with no complaints. “VA has been good to me in many ways,” said Mundy. “I couldn’t go wrong with the dental, either.”

Mundy said the new technology made procedures more comfortable and nearly pain-free. “I don’t have any pain at all no matter what they do,” said Mundy. “The scanning of the teeth, the machines that go back and forth to take the X-rays, it’s unbelievable.”

Mundy encouraged other Veterans who need services to reach out to VA. “Don’t hesitate to go in and start talking and asking,” said Mundy. “This is the payback—they are taking care of us.”

A training ground for advanced dental care

Training in these new technologies and procedures has given dental residents hands-on experience in implant placement, restorative care and laser treatment. Residents have treated a wide range of dental needs, reviewed cases with multidisciplinary specialists, and received in-depth instruction that would be hard to find elsewhere, according to third-year prosthodontics resident, Dr. Gustavo Lopez Gomez.

Gomez said he gained advanced experience at VA and found caring for Veterans deeply rewarding. “Exposure to implant cases here is extensive,” he said. “As I think to my future and how I will be able to use these skills, I am one step ahead of colleagues of mine who may not get this experience,” Gomez said.

Dr. Alexia Blackhurst, a second-year endodontics resident and Navy Veteran, praised the supportive environment and training, noting that VA graduates are well prepared for real-world practice. “Working at VA, you see very complex dental cases, and you are working on cases you probably wouldn’t see in other residency programs,” said Blackhurst. “It is rigorous, but you are in a supportive environment with so many different faculty and specialties helping contribute to your education.”

“We are absolutely on the forefront”

Building on dental innovation, Dr. Lukasz Skomial, chief of dental service and a prosthodontist, explained that recent improvements in custom‑designed implants have made these procedures more accurate and predictable.

“We are absolutely on the forefront,” said Skomial. “We give our Veterans the best technologies, the best products that are out there. And essentially, we are turning our patients around, making them believe that VA can provide them with the best possible care.”

By combining advanced technology, hands-on resident training and a whole-patient approach, the Margaret Cochran Corbin VA dental team broadens access to innovative procedures that restore health and confidence, reinforcing VA’s leadership in patient-centered dental care.

DiPrima said the benefits speak for themselves. “I chew a steak,” he said. “Being Italian, I have a piece of Italian bread with salami and cheese, and it’s no problem. I’m happy!”

Margaret Cochran Corbin VA dental residents are among the more than 124,000 trainees VA educates throughout the nation each year, making VA’s health professions education program the largest in the United States. These programs, overseen by the Office of Academic Affiliations, are shaping the next generation of health care professionals for VA and the nation.