Dental Plans for Spouses of Veterans

When it comes to medical and dental insurance, veterans have many options, but many wonder about the spouses of those veterans. In many cases, while veterans are covered 100 percent when receiving care in military facilities, spousal medical and dental insurance falls under an entirely different set of rules, often at an out-of-pocket cost to the veteran and his family.

Tricare Dental Plan

• The TRICARE dental plan is available to veterans -- active duty, disabled or retired -- and their spouses, but is not available to former spouses or extended family. The TRICARE plan is the premier plan for service members and the only dental coverage that the military offers. The plan covers nearly 100 percent of all preventative dental care services, with the exception of sealants.

Eligibility

• A veteran's current spouse is eligible for medical and dental coverage through the veteran's health care plan, as long as the veteran is in good standing with the armed forces. In special circumstances, different rules apply. If a veteran is married 10 years or more and divorces, then the veteran's spouse is still eligible for some dental care benefits; if the veteran is married more than 20 years, then the spouse is eligible for medical and dental coverage for life.

Discount Dental Programs

• If the veteran or spouse exceeds the maximum allowable limit for TRICARE coverage, then the military offers monthly plans with discount dental services. Even without exceeding the annual limit, veterans and spouses can use discount dental plans in coordination with TRICARE. These plans are not exclusive to the military or spouses, but for a small monthly fee, veterans and their spouses can have access to a co-op of participating dentists offering services for a reduced fee, most of whom also accept TRICARE.

Benefits Coordination

• In many cases, spouses work outside the home, and have access to additional dental coverage and supplemental medial plans. In these cases, veterans and their spouses can opt in for the spousal dental plan either in lieu of or in addition to the TRICARE dental plan.