Dental work is expensive. Because of this, keeping a pearly white smile is one of the lowest priorities for many people. For a veteran named David Tyler Harmon, this was certainly the case.

Because Harmon neglected his teeth, he ended up with a lot of dental issues. Fortunately, through a chance encounter, he met a dentist who was more than willing to help him out — and for free.

One day, when the retired Air Force Staff Sergeant was at the gym, he met Dr. David Nguyen — a dentist. The two hit it off, so Harmon agreed to book an appointment for teeth cleaning. Nguyen was in for a surprise, however…

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“I came in for a cleaning, and he’s like, ‘My goodness!’ And I start telling him all the pain I’m in,” the sergeant recalled.

Nguyen said, “There was infection in his gum tissue, a lot of cracked teeth everywhere, a lot of crowding, a lot of grinding problems.” Because Harmon had suffered severe head trauma during his multiple tours on active duty, the tooth issues were exacerbated.

The cost of fixing all of his dental problems was staggering: $15,000. Obviously, that was out-of-reach for the veteran. “I overheard him saying something about sending the paperwork to the VA,” said Dr. Nguyen. “I was like, ‘Wait, if he were to wait for the VA, it would take months.’”

They didn’t have months.

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Harmon’s teeth needed fixing immediately, so Nguyen stepped up. “I saw infection,” Dr. Nguyen explained. “I said, ‘Listen, you need to get this handled right away.’” To remedy the conundrum, the dentist offered to do all of the dental work free of charge. Harmon, who was overwhelmed by Nguyen’s generosity, broke down in tears.

The veteran later told Eyewitness News that the offer has forever changed his life.

Watch the tear-jerking video below:

As a society, we are failing our veterans — the same people who risked their lives to fight for our freedoms. According to a study published in Sage Journals, approximately 1.7 million veterans in the United States have no health coverage.  That means hundreds of thousands of people — like Harmon — are unable to afford basic services, such as dental work.

To make matters worse, tens of thousands of veterans are still homeless in the United States and other countries. Fortunately, efforts to house those who served their homeland are working, though not quickly enough.

Clearly, something needs to be done. Though politics is not the answer to all, a better system needs to be implemented to ensure all active and retired military members have the support they require. What are your thoughts? Please comment below and share this news!

Source: Little Things, ABC 13 News