Homeless Veterans Dental Program

Department of Veterans Affairs

P.O. Box 5005

Bay Pines, FL 33744

Website: www1.va.gov/homeless/page.cfm?pg=37

Contact: Carol Yakimo, Assistant Director

The mission of the Homeless Veterans Dental Program is to increase the accessibility of quality dental care to homeless veteran patients and to help assure success in VA-sponsored and VA partnership homeless rehabilitation programs throughout the United States.

The Homeless Veterans Dental Program was established by the Veterans Administration in 1992. The program is funded through the Office of Dentistry and located at the Bay Pines VAHCS. 

The dental needs of homeless veterans are well documented. In studies listing and ranking the 10 highest unmet needs for homeless veterans, dental care was consistently one of the top 3 unmet needs, along with long-term permanent housing and childcare. 

There is some limited dental eligibility for homeless veterans who are in certain VA-sponsored rehabilitation programs. One of the HVDP goals is to permanently extend funded dental treatment to a wider range of homeless veterans. As we know, dental problems, such as pain and/or missing teeth can be tremendous barriers in seeking and obtaining employment. HVDP’s job is to facilitate these veterans in re-entering society as productive, self-sufficient people.  By extending a Homeless Veteran Dental Initiative, we hope to accomplish this goal.

Persons wishing to obtain information regarding the homeless dental program in their area should contact their nearest VA’s homeless coordinator.