Title 38 — Veterans' BenefitsRelease 119-73

§2062 Dental care

Title 38 › Part PART II— - GENERAL BENEFITS › Chapter CHAPTER 20— - BENEFITS FOR HOMELESS VETERANS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER VII— - OTHER PROVISIONS › § 2062

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Treats outpatient dental care as medically necessary for certain veterans when the care is needed to get or keep a job, to ease pain, or to treat moderate to severe gum disease. Applies to veterans who are enrolled for VA care and who have spent 60 consecutive days receiving care in a VA domiciliary, a therapeutic residence, community residential care, or a grant-and-per-diem program. The VA can ignore short breaks the veteran did not cause. The dental care is a one-time course given the same way newly discharged veterans get dental benefits.

Full Legal Text

Title 38, §2062

Veterans' Benefits — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)For purposes of section 1712(a)(1)(H) of this title, outpatient dental services and treatment of a dental condition or disability of a veteran described in subsection (b) shall be considered to be medically necessary, subject to subsection (c), if—

(1)the dental services and treatment are necessary for the veteran to successfully gain or regain employment;

(2)the dental services and treatment are necessary to alleviate pain; or

(3)the dental services and treatment are necessary for treatment of moderate, severe, or severe and complicated gingival and periodontal pathology.

(b)Subsection (a) applies to a veteran—

(1)who is enrolled for care under section 1705(a) of this title; and

(2)who, for a period of 60 consecutive days, is receiving care (directly or by contract) in any of the following settings:

(A)A domiciliary under section 1710 of this title.

(B)A therapeutic residence under section 2032 of this title.

(C)Community residential care coordinated by the Secretary under section 1730 of this title.

(D)A setting for which the Secretary provides funds for a grant and per diem provider.

(3)For purposes of paragraph (2), in determining whether a veteran has received treatment for a period of 60 consecutive days, the Secretary may disregard breaks in the continuity of treatment for which the veteran is not responsible.

(c)Dental benefits provided by reason of this section shall be a one-time course of dental care provided in the same manner as the dental benefits provided to a newly discharged veteran.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

38 U.S.C. § 2062

Title 38 — Veterans' Benefits

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73