Vernon’s new independent dental hygiene clinic is looking to give back to those who fought for the country.
MidWest Dental Hygiene is launching the first annual Nominate a Veteran campaign in Vernon, which will see an anonomous veteran awarded with two hours of chair time for preventative dental care.
Dayna Nipkow, who sits at the helm of MidWest Dental Hygiene, said the campaign was prompted by appreciation.
“I am appreciative of the rights, freedoms and privileges that have enabled me, a young woman, mother of one-and-a-half, to become educated and professionally experienced having the opportunity to open my own business,” Nipkow said.
“I can appreciate that these rights and freedoms came at a cost to fellow Canadians that have served and those that continue to serve. I want to pay this forward to a deserving member in my community. I want to demonstrate my appreciation, through actions, to someone who’s contribution has paved the way for me to have this opportunity.”
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Another primary motivator, Nipkow said, was the lack of oral care provided to veterans that she has seen through her 17-year career.
“I have, overtime, come to feel that the oral care that is provided to those whom have served is often at times falling short of the care I wish they could be provided with. I, in no way fault veteran affairs, as there are many needs they need to address,” Nipkow said.
“Oral health is a passion of mine and I wish I could see each veteran getting the ultimate preventative oral hygiene care. Enhancing the access to preventative care could reduce the need for complex, often more physically taxing, and definitely more costly restorative work.”
The campaign is one of the first orders of business for Nipkow’s new independent clinic MidWest Dental Hygiene.
Veterans can be nominated via dropbox at Fishers Hardware, Staples, The Army Navy Airforce Veterans Unit No. 5, the Lakeview Market, Nipkow’s office located in the Vernon dental centre (201-3200 30th Ave.) and online at midwestdental.ca. Nominees can have active duty of past or present status.
Submissions are due Nov. 16. The draw will take place Nov. 19.
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