The TRICARE Dental Program is a voluntary dental plan available to uniformed service members and their Families. Just like with TRICARE’s health insurance – TRICARE Reserve Select – Soldiers may enroll for the benefit at any point in the year. Monthly premiums (the amount of money paid each month by a policyholder to an insurance provider) are based on military status and range from approximately $11 a month for a Soldier to $70 a month for multiple Family members.
Different from the TRICARE health insurance plans, Soldiers (referred to as the sponsor) must enroll separately from Family members. Soldiers should select a Sponsor Only plan and Family members should select either a Single plan for one Family member or a Family plan if there are additional dependents.
TRICARE Dental is operated by United Concordia and covers:
- Exams, cleanings, fluorides, sealants and X-rays
- Fillings, including white fillings on back teeth
- Root canals
- Gum surgery
- Oral surgery and tooth extractions
- Crowns and dentures
- Orthodontics and braces
Regular cleanings and diagnostic exams are covered 100 percent by TRICARE Dental. Soldiers will pay co-insurance (the percentage of the cost of health care service that is paid by the policyholder) for all other dental care. Depending on pay grade and the service provided, a Soldier may pay 20–50 percent of the bill. Just like with TRICARE health insurance, most policies will cover a higher percentage of the cost of services performed by an in-network provider (health care provider who is part of the TRICARE system) versus an out-of-network provider (health care provider who is independent of the TRICARE system).
To enroll in the TRICARE Dental Program, go to the Defense Manpower Data Center’s Beneficiary Web Enrollment site at DMDC.OSD.mil/appj/BWE and log on using a CAC, DS Logon or a DFAS account. Then select the Dental tab to enroll or update dental coverage information. Enrollment information may be submitted online, over the phone or through the mail. The initial premium payment will be due at the time of enrollment. Soldiers may choose to pay the monthly premiums either by electronic funds transfer or by a recurring debit/credit card charge.
Learn more about TRICARE Dental for Army National Guard Soldiers at tricare.mil/CoveredServices/Dental/NGRDental.
NOTICE
The required annual Periodic Health Assessment (PHA) includes not only a comprehensive medical review, but also a dental review. As a Soldier, when you miss or skip your annual dental exam, and/or follow-up dental treatment and care, you risk becoming non-deployable. You also risk loss of pay for drill attendance. At present, about one in 10 Soldiers is medically non-deployable because of an overdue dental exam or missed dental treatment.
Do not risk losing pay or being unable to support your unit in deployment. Keep up with your PHA event dates at your designated military installation. Individual dental appointments scheduled with a military or civilian dentist are also acceptable. A TRICARE in-network dentist will provide the exam to Guard Soldiers at no cost. When visiting a civilian dentist, a form DD 2813 should be completed by the dental office for submission to your unit. The form can be downloaded at ESD.WHS.mil/DD or you can request a form through your chain of command.
By Staff Writer Ruth Ann Replogle
