A dentist in Rifle is providing free care to veterans for the month of November.
There are 7,500 vets in the Garfield County and the Roaring Fork Valley, according to Dr. Cliff Cappelli, who is one of them. Many have medical care through the VA, but dental care is another story.
Cappelli said he’s seeing vets with all kinds of dental needs, which is important because more and more studies show how much dental health impacts our overall health. There are links between poor dental health and conditions like diabetes, heart disease and alzheimer's.
There are already 30 vets signed up for Cappelli’s services. They get full exams, x-rays and cleanings; they also get a $250 voucher if more care is needed.