Nebraska State Sen. Dan Quick, a member of the Nebraska Health and Human Services Committee, toured the UNMC College of Dentistry in December, meeting with Dean Gerard Kugel, DMD, PhD, and Executive Associate Dean Gregory Bennett, DMD.
Joined by several members of the college’s leadership and staff, the group toured the facility and discussed the growing, statewide demand for dental care – including the large number of patients treated through the college’s clinics and outreach efforts.
During the visit, Drs. Kugel and Bennett discussed with Sen. Quick the challenges facing rural Nebraskans seeking regular dental care, the college’s role as a safety-net provider for many Medicaid patients who have no other dental home, and the college’s veterans-focused programs—where demand continues to outpace available resources.
Dr. Kugel said he was grateful for the opportunity to host Sen. Quick and show him firsthand what the college is facing—and what it delivers for Nebraskans every day.
“Sen. Quick didn’t just stop by for a handshake—we walked the school together with our team, toured the clinics, and talked honestly about what’s happening on the ground,” Dr. Kugel said. “The need for dental care in Nebraska is not theoretical. It’s urgent, it’s growing, and we see it in the faces of patients who come through our doors every day.”
He said: “We treat an extraordinary number of patients, including many Medicaid patients who don’t have another dental home. And our veterans’ program is overwhelmed, because too many veterans are going without dental care and real support from the federal system. When people can’t get care anywhere else, they come to us. That’s why the UNMC College of Dentistry exists: to serve Nebraska, especially when the safety net is stretched to the breaking point.”