Dental cleanings, oral cancer screenings and X-rays were given free to veterans and their families Saturday.

This is the second annual Veterans Day celebration offered by Collins Dental Group, 2025 Aberdeen Court. Administrative assistant Martha Collins said every one of the group’s staff members — around 30 people — worked without pay Saturday to offer the service to local veterans.

“We’re a local business. We’ve been here a long time and we were looking for a way to give back to the community,” she said. “The thing we do best is dentistry, so this event made sense.”

Collins said Veterans Assistance doesn’t cover dental, and there was a need for this care. Last year, just fewer than 100 veterans and their families received care, but Collins said this year there were even more and no one was turned away. Collins was glad the group was able to give back to the community.

“We’re a hometown dental practice,” Collins said. “It’s important to us to give back to the local people who need it. We’ve had spouses, children, even grandchildren of veterans come in.

“Families of veterans have sacrificed in a way we can’t imagine by having their loved ones serving our country. It’s a difficult time to provide for your family.”

Dental hygienist Irene Boltz also recognizes the importance of the service veterans offered.

“There are so many veterans who slip through the cracks and don’t get the care they need,” Boltz said. “We like to make sure they get the care they need.”

Dentist Dennis Collins said the group had been trying to come up with a Veterans Day event to hold for several years and was happy to finally settle on this event.

“We’re happy to provide our service,” Collins said. “This event is not just for vets going through tough times. This is a thank you for all the veterans who serve our country.”

Collins and his staff hope to continue this tradition for years to come.