REGION SALUTE SMILES PROJECT | VETERANS DAY 2026

Give a Northwest Indiana Veteran a New Smile

Most veterans do not qualify for dental care through the VA. This Veterans Day, Great Lakes Implant Center and Merrillville Dental Center are donating implant care to up to 53 Northwest Indiana veterans: 3 Full-Arch Smile Makeovers and 50 Single Implants at zero cost to the veteran.

Presented by Great Lakes Implant Center and Merrillville Dental Center: Dr. Timothy Kamp, Dr. Brittanie Patel, and Dr. Megan Phillabaum

3

Full-Arch Makeovers Donated

3 Northwest Indiana veterans receive a donated fixed full arch (upper or lower) at no cost. Nominate by November 30; recipients announced December 24.

50

Single Implants Donated via NWI Dentists

50 single implant placements donated (up to 2 veterans per referring office). Referral window November 11 to December 31; implanted in January or February.

100%

Free to Qualifying Veterans

No Cost, No Strings: 100% donated care by our doctors, MegaGen America, NeoDent, Crown Me Dental Lab, and Radiant Dental Lab.

SERVING THOSE WHO SERVED

Closing the Veterans Dental Care Gap in the Region

For a veteran missing teeth, dental implants transform how they eat, speak, and smile, yet the cost keeps care out of reach for many. Great Lakes Implant Center (our implant-focused sister practice with its own patient entrance and CT scanner) and Merrillville Dental Center are uniting with our implant and lab partners to restore smiles for Northwest Indiana veterans across Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Jasper, and Newton counties.

Presented by Great Lakes Implant Center and Merrillville Dental Center

Dr. Timothy Kamp | Dr. Brittanie Patel | Dr. Megan Phillabaum

"My grandfather served as a mortarman in WW2, and my brother attended USAFA and is an active C-130 pilot. Helping veterans smile is the least I can do to honor them for their service."

Dr. Timothy Kamp, DMD, FAGD, FAAID
Great Lakes Implant Center & Merrillville Dental Center

FULL-ARCH SMILE MAKEOVERS

Nominate a Veteran for a Fixed Full Arch of Implant Teeth

Three Northwest Indiana veterans will each receive a donated fixed full arch (upper or lower) placed and restored at our Merrillville office at no cost to them.

Family, friends, and veterans themselves can submit a confidential nomination in just a few minutes. Nominate by November 30; recipients will be announced on December 24.

November 30: Last Day to Nominate

December 24: 3 Recipients Announced

FULL-ARCH ELIGIBILITY

Who Can Be Nominated?

✓ Must show DD-214

✓ Resides in Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Jasper, or Newton County

✓ Not eligible for comprehensive VA dental care

✓ Missing or failing teeth in at least one arch

✓ Able to attend visits over about 4 to 6 months

How to Submit a Nomination

Submit your nomination using the online form below by November 30, or contact Jillian at greatlakesimplant@gmail.com or (219) 472-9090.

CONFIDENTIAL ONLINE NOMINATION

Nominate a Northwest Indiana Veteran

Family, friends, and veterans themselves can submit a nomination below by November 30. Recipients will be announced on December 24.

Great! We’ve received your information.

FOR NORTHWEST INDIANA DENTAL OFFICES

For Northwest Indiana Dental Offices: 50 Free Donated Implants for Your Veteran Patients

Note: Single implants are available only through a partnership with ANY NWI dentist. Veterans cannot request a single implant from us directly. If you would like your dentist to participate, please print off the referral form and ask them to fill it out on your behalf.

100% DONATED CARE

What's Covered at No Cost to the Veteran

 Great Lakes Implant Center: Consult & 3D scan, implant placement, healing abutment, follow-up until ready to restore, loaner prosthetic kit, and any extraction or grafting done at placement.

MegaGen America & NeoDent (A Straumann Group Brand): The implant.

Crown Me Dental Lab & Radiant Dental Lab: The implant abutment and final crown

Your Dental Office: The final scan (we can arrange if necessary), delivering and seating the crown, and continuing care.

No Cost, No Strings Guarantee: Veterans pay nothing, and nothing is billed to insurance by us, your office, or the labs.

SINGLE-IMPLANT ELIGIBILITY

Who Qualifies for a Single Implant

✓ A veteran with a DD-214 who is an existing patient of your practice (VA dental coverage does not affect eligibility).

✓ One implant per veteran, once our consult confirms the site is suitable (healed sites preferred).

✓ Premolars and anterior teeth needing extraction may qualify for an immediate implant. Grafting done at placement is covered; a site needing a separate grafting surgery is unlikely to be eligible.

✓ Up to two veterans per office, and 50 implants in all, reserved in the order referrals arrive.

4-STEP REFERRAL PROCESS

How to Refer a Veteran Patient

01

Choose Up to Two Veterans

Choose up to two veteran patients who need a single implant.

02

Send Completed Referral Form

Download and send us the completed referral form by secure email between November 11 and December 31 (takes about 5 minutes).

03

Consult & Implant Placement

We see your patient for a consult and 3D scan within two weeks, place the implant in January or February, and send you the surgical report and implant details.

04

You Seat the Crown

After healing, scan for the final crown using a provided scan body or arrange for us to take the scan. The lab sends the abutment and crown to your office, and you deliver it to the veteran.

REFERRAL COORDINATOR & PRINTABLE PDF FORM

Questions? Contact Jillian

Questions? Contact Jillian | Email: greatlakesimplant@gmail.com | Phone: (219) 472-9090
Address: 303 W 89th Ave, Suite E1, Merrillville, IN 46410

MADE POSSIBLE BY OUR PARTNERS

Project Partners Uniting for Region Veterans

Presented by Great Lakes Implant Center and Merrillville Dental Center: Dr. Timothy Kamp, Dr. Brittanie Patel, and Dr. Megan Phillabaum, in partnership with MegaGen America, NeoDent (A Straumann Group Brand), Crown Me Dental Lab (Evansville, IN), and Radiant Dental Lab (Merrillville, IN).

PRESENTING PRACTICES

Great Lakes Implant Center & Merrillville Dental Center

Dr. Timothy Kamp | Dr. Brittanie Patel | Dr. Megan Phillabaum (303 W 89th Ave, Suite E1, Merrillville, IN 46410)

IMPLANT PARTNER

MegaGen America

Donating dental implants and surgical components for Region veterans.

IMPLANT PARTNER

NeoDent (A Straumann Group Brand)

Donating dental implants and precision prosthetic components.

LABORATORY PARTNER

Crown Me Dental Lab

Evansville, IN - Donating custom abutments and final crowns.

LABORATORY PARTNER

Radiant Dental Lab

Merrillville, IN - Donating custom abutments and final crowns.