Watts Dental outreach serves veterans
with free dental work

By LINDA CHION KENNEY
linda@observernews.net

Veteran Evan Gurman, with marketing director Denise Williams, left, for Watts Dental, and Melissa Roberts, account representative for The Observer News.

At the newly opened Watts Dental in Apollo Beach, dental practitioners stepped up again to provide free medical services to military veterans, a community outreach program set to become an annual event.
According to Watts Dental spokesperson Denise Williams, the Nov. 9 outreach, at 137 Harbor Village Lane, served 115 veterans with about $70,000 worth of services, including X-rays, cleanings, fillings, root canals and teeth extractions. In all, she added, about 30 dentists and 35 volunteers from throughout Tampa Bay donated their time and talents.
“We do it because our veterans deserve it,” said Dr. Jason Watts, who this year expanded his general dentistry practice to Apollo Beach. He opened his FishHawk location last year, at 5605 Skytop Drive, where he launched the veterans outreach effort.
According to Watts, veterans in 2018 received about $18,000 worth of free dental services. This year’s goal of $50,000 was surpassed by 40 percent.

Dr. Jason Watts for two years has organized and sponsored free dental care events for veterans. He plans to make this an annual event. The Nov. 9 outreach was held at Watts Dental in Apollo Beach. The event kicked off last year at Watts Dental in FishHawk.

“This is my small token to thank you for the freedom I get to live with,” Watts told a veteran patient in his chair Nov. 9, noting that through dentistry he found a meaningful way to give back. “If everyone did a little more, this world would be an awesome place.”
U.S Army Reserve veteran John Boyles said in the waiting room he had high regard for Watts’ efforts. “I think the concept is brilliant, respectful and I appreciate it, whether they can help me or not,” he said.
“You can’t beat it,” added U.S. Army veteran Evan Gurman. “It’s really nice to help the veterans out.”
Watts said many of those served this year and last are veterans with great needs. “There are too many veterans for the VA [U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs] to maintain,” he said. “And it’s sad how many veterans are homeless or underserved due to post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic pain or the inability to work after serving our country. We’re planning to do this [outreach] every year.”
Watts did not stand alone, drawing to his cause a team of dental practitioners, including oral surgeons, dental hygienists and general, endodontic, pediatric and periodontal dentists. Chiropractor Robert “Bob” Lutz, of Motion ChiroTherapy in FishHawk, was on hand to provide services as well.
According to Williams, the team and volunteers were treated to an after-event social at the Latitudes Apollo Restaurant & Lounge, next door to Watts Dental. During the daylong event, they enjoyed food donations from FishHawk Bagels; Ciccio Cali, in Winthrop; and Mission BBQ, in Brandon.
Veterans received dental cleanings at SmileLYNN Dentistry, which sits catty-corner to Watts Dental, at 122 Harbor Village Lane. Dr. Casey Lynn, who attended dental school with Jason Watts, owns the pediatric dentistry practice and gave his friend high marks for his veterans outreach efforts.
“It’s awesome and it’s great for the community,” Lynn said. “ And for me, it’s fun. I like giving back.”
Watts’ sister, Dr. Vanessa Watts, specializes in oral and maxillofacial surgery, at Tampa Bay Jaw and Facial Surgery. She said she volunteered both years for her brother’s outreach efforts, because “It’s important to give back.”
Endodontists Paul Zaritsky and Jaclyn Rivera offered similar sentiments.
“I like to help out,” Zaritsky said. “I like to help people who can’t help themselves. This is a lot of people to serve in one day.”
“I’m always amazed by anything Dr. Watts does,” Rivera added. “His constant energy and passion, it shows and it’s wonderful.”
Watts said he opened in FishHawk on Jan. 2, 2018, and in Apollo Beach on July 22. In May, he entered into a partnership with Twin Creeks Assisted Living and Memory Care, in Riverview, to provide in-house dental care to residents and employees.
A general dentist for five years, Watts said he was drawn to the profession in part because of the opportunity it afforded to “have a business in a stabilized community,” where he can treat patients “throughout their lives, and also their kids and grandkids.”
For those who fear the dentist — and Watts said he knows that comes with the territory — he offers the following: “You’re not going to hear the drill or experience pain on your first appointment.”
Should you have to experience pain, “there are things on hand to address that,” Watts added, including blankets, office therapy dogs, noise-cancellation headphones and nitrous oxide (laughing gas).
“We’ll never rush you, “ Watts said. “We just want to help you.” As he told a veteran in his chair Nov. 9: “We’re in the people business. We just do dentistry for fun.”
For information about Watts Dental and the Watts Dental Membership Plan for patients without dental insurance, call 813-737-7370. Visit Watts Dental online at wattsdentalfl.com.

Dr. Vanessa Watts tends to a veteran at her brother’s Watts Dental offices in Apollo Beach on Nov. 9. Vanessa Watts is a board-certified surgeon at Tampa Bay Jaw and Facial Surgery.

Taking a break from serving veterans Nov. 9 at Watts Dental, from left, Dr. Marc Rasmussen, general dentistry; Dr. Mona Khalaj, general dentistry; Dr. Ashley Tate, pediatric dentistry; Dr. Casey Lynn, pediatric dentistry; Dr. Jaclyn Rivera, endodontist; Dr. Michael J. Yuan, oral and maxillofacial surgeon; Dr. Jenny Kucko, general dentistry; Linda Kornienko, fourth-year dental student; Dr. Jason Watts, general dentistry; and dental assistants Jeann Hernandez and Ashlyn Elston. In back, Denise Williams, Watts Dental marketing director, and Ash Dubal, dental assistant.