Veterans Dental Benefits

You will be eligible for some dental care services if you are a military veteran. These benefits are provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the level of dental care you receive will depend on your circumstances. Some veterans receive any necessary dental care; others receive care that will treat a service-related problem.

Any Needed Dental Care

• Some veterans, including all former prisoners of war, receive any dental care they need, and this includes preventive care. You will receive all necessary dental care if you have a dental disability that resulted from your military service. You must be receiving compensation for this disability. You will also receive comprehensive dental care if you are 100 percent disabled as a result of a condition that was caused by your service or if you cannot work at all because of the condition.

One-Time Dental Care

• You will be eligible to receive one-time dental care if you are veteran who served for at least 90 days in the Persian Gulf War. You must have either a dental condition or medical disability that was related to your time of service. If you did not receive a medical exam and all needed medical care at your time of discharge, you will receive a one-time benefit of care needed for dental services.

Condition-Related Dental Care

• You will receive whatever dental care you need to treat a dental condition if it is making a service-related condition worse. Some dental conditions will aggravate medical disabilities. You are entitled to receive whatever dental treatment you need to properly treat such dental conditions. You can also receive services if you are receiving outpatient or inpatient care for a medical condition that is being aggravated by your dental disorder.

Other Dental Treatment Programs

• You might be eligible for dental care if you are currently participating in a vocational rehabilitation program. You can receive dental services for any conditions that are preventing you from completing the rehabilitation program. You will receive only the dental care that you need in order to finish your rehabilitation program. If you have been in a VA homeless program for more than 60 days, you can access basic outpatient dental services that you need for good oral health.