Illustration: #OlenaStaranchuk
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Toothache is one of those problems that can start suddenly and prevent a person from doing any work. Therefore, dentists in various cities of Ukraine treat the teeth of military personnel for free.
At the beginning of the full-scale war, Vitaliy, an owner of a Kyiv dental office, was left alone in his clinic — all the staff were evacuated. At the same time, people’s health started to worsen: soldiers of the territorial defense were on duty in the cold on the streets, residents of the city hid from rocket attacks in cold shelters. Most dentist’s offices in the capital were closed, but people urgently needed relief from toothache. So, when Vitaliy opened the door of his clinic, long queues lined up in front of it. In the first months of the war, the doctor worked for free. As the owner of the clinic, he hadn’t removed teeth or put in fillings with his own hands in a long time, but such work supported and distracted the dentist.
Now Vitaliy continues to treat the defenders of Ukraine on a volunteer basis. Many military personnel go on "dental leave" due to sudden flare-ups. In general, the doctor advises everyone to undergo an examination before heading off to the front, so that there are no surprises at a critical moment.
Dentists in other cities, in particular in Ivano-Frankivsk, do the same. When a military man shows his ID, all urgent procedures and operations are carried out at the expense of the clinics. Significant discounts are provided for other types of treatment.
And in Ternopil, one of the clinics also provides free services to displaced persons. What's more, displaced doctors work as dentists there. They work with visitors in a variety of areas: from surgery and orthodontics to psychological support for displaced persons.