An Idaho Army veteran who knows all about challenges will have a new reason to smile
It’s been nearly a decade since U.S. Army veteran and Nampa resident Eric Olson was severely injured in an IED blast in the Middle East, resulting in several surgeries to repair and rebuild his hands and knees.
Olson also had several teeth knocked out during the blast, and some of that damage hasn’t been addressed in his many past surgeries.
Until now.
On Veterans Day morning, Olson was informed that he’d receive a free full-arch restoration procedure through the Smiles for Soldiers program from the Whitewater Oral Surgery Group in Boise. The procedure consists of removing all of a patient’s remaining teeth so a full arch of dental implants can be put in place surgically — a brand-new smile, and brand-new dental health.
“Honestly, this is a little overwhelming,” Olson said Thursday. “But this is definitely a positive change that I have not had the chance to have in almost a decade. … It’s a really big change.”
Olson — who had to survive a period of homelessness after returning from active duty, according to a news release from Whitewater — was informed of his complimentary surgery during a gathering Thursday at the oral surgery office on Main Street, with attendees including state Sen. Melissa Wintrow and state Rep. Lauren Necochea.
The Smiles for Soldiers program is in its second year, according to Dr. Kevin Kempers, one of the oral surgeons at Whitewater.
“It’s a way for us to go and give them big treatment, something that’s life-changing that can just change the way that they eat, how they smile, how they interact in public, that they can use to really advance their life and the way they go about things,” Kempers said.
Whitewater works with Veterans Affairs regularly, but mostly in cases of emergency for things such as dental pain and infections, Kempers said. He said it’s not often that they’re able to do the bigger, life-changing procedures, rather than just the immediate needs.
Dr. Justin Hastings, another oral surgeon at Whitewater, said larger surgeries often would be procedures not covered by the VA. This program is a way to help a veteran who otherwise couldn’t get the necessary aid.
The cost of a procedure such as the one Olson will receive? About $50,000.
“Why we do Smiles for Soldiers is because we want to be able to give back to the veterans that have given so much to us through their services,” Hastings said.
He explained that the procedure is a monthslong process that starts with examining records and doing scans. After sketching a plan, a three-hour surgery is needed to remove all of the remaining teeth and level the bones before inserting a temporary prosthesis of teeth. Six months later, a procedure is needed to remove the prosthesis and put in the final set of teeth.
Olson, who is married with two children — including a newborn who is in the hospital dealing with a nutrition issue — said he joined the Army at 19, and his father was a 22-year veteran of the U.S. Navy. He said the Smiles for Soldiers application process happened quickly, but it was a good feeling knowing he would receive the complimentary procedures.
“I’m just happy I actually got to have this opportunity,” Olson said.
This story was originally published November 11, 2021 at 3:41 PM.
