VA Dentistry - Improving Veterans’ Oral Health
Veterans Dental Benefits and Eligibility
VA offers comprehensive dental care benefits to certain qualifying Veterans. Nearly 806,000 Veterans were provided dental care in Fiscal Year 2024. To better understand if you are eligible for VA dental care, check out What VA dental care benefits do I qualify for? as well as the Dental Benefits for Veterans document. If eligible but not yet enrolled in VA health care, you can apply online using the Apply for health care benefits webpage. If not eligible, Veterans enrolled in VA health care can purchase dental insurance at a reduced cost through the VA Dental Insurance Program (VADIP). Additionally, see the "Not Eligible?" tab section below for more information.
If you are a Veteran who has recently served (e.g. OEF/OIF/OND), you may be entitled to a one-time course of free dental care, but you must apply for dental care within 180 days of your discharge (under conditions other than dishonorable) from a period of active duty of 90 days or more.
To better access and manage your VA health care go to the VA.gov. See also Veteran Patient Information to learn important dental facts for Veterans.
Clinic Locations
Not Eligible?
Lend Me Your Ears
In the Spotlight
Clinic Locations
VA provides quality and compassionate dental care to over 500,000 eligible Veterans at over 200 locations across the country, including Alaska and Puerto Rico. To find the location of a VA Dental Clinic near you use the Dental Clinic Locations Finder.
Not Eligible?
If not eligible, Veterans may obtain dental care through the VA Dental Insurance Program (VADIP). Veterans enrolled in VA health care, and beneficiaries of the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the VA (CHAMPVA) can select one of the discounted insurance plans offered by Delta Dental or MetLife.
Lend Me Your Ears
A Navy Veteran who lost an ear to cancer, was referred to the VA Tampa Dental Clinic and under the care of Maxillofacial Prosthodontist, Dr. Nicholas Goetz, received a new prosthetic ear. Find out more about this amazing story with this video: Lend Me Your Ears.
In the Spotlight
Teeth do a lot of work! They're useful for speaking, chewing food, shaping your face and showing the world a smile. So it's necessary to keep your teeth and mouth healthy as you age. Check out Aging and Your Smile on MyHealtheVet to learn important dental care facts and maintain healthy teeth over your lifetime.
