Title 38, Veterans' BenefitsRelease 119-110

§2062 Dental Care

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

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Outpatient dental care must be treated as medically necessary for certain veterans when it helps them get or keep a job, eases dental pain, or treats moderate to severe gum disease. To get this care, a veteran must be enrolled for VA care and must have been in care for 60 straight days in certain residential programs (for example, a VA care home, a therapeutic residence, community residential care, or a grant‑and‑per‑diem provider). The VA can ignore short breaks the veteran did not cause. The dental treatment is a one‑time course of care given the same way as dental benefits for newly discharged veterans.

Full Legal Text

Title 38, §2062

Veterans' Benefits, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In General.—

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)Eligible Veterans.—

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)Limitation.—

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

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110