HR 210 · 119th CongressIn Committee

Dental Care for Veterans Act

Latest updateFeb 6, 2025

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Armed Forces and National Security

Sponsor

Julia Brownley

Introduced

January 6, 2025

Latest action

March 18, 2026

Legislative Progress

How far this bill has traveled through Congress

Introduced

Bill filed in chamber

Committee

Reviewed & reported

Passed Chamber

House or Senate vote

Passed Both

House & Senate agree

President

Sent to White House

Enacted

Signed into law

Introduced

Bill filed in chamber

Committee

Reviewed & reported

Passed Chamber

House or Senate vote

Passed Both

House & Senate agree

President

Sent to White House

Enacted

Signed into law

Latest Action

Committee Hearings Held

Plain-Language Summary

AI Generated

Currently, the Department of Veterans Affairs provides dental care only to veterans with service-connected dental conditions, those with significant service-connected disabilities, former prisoners of war, and veterans receiving care for a service-connected condition that affects their ability to chew or swallow. This limited eligibility means most veterans must pay out-of-pocket for routine dental services or seek care through private insurance. The VA's dental program operates under separate statutory authority from other medical services, creating a two-tiered system where dental care is treated differently than primary care, surgery, or other treatments veterans receive at VA facilities.

The Department of Veterans Affairs must amend its regulations to furnish dental care to all eligible veterans in the same manner as any other medical service covered under chapter 17 of title 38. The bill removes the statutory restrictions that currently limit dental eligibility and eliminates section 2062, which previously authorized separate dental benefit rules. This change reclassifies dental care as a standard VA medical benefit rather than a specialized service with restricted access. The VA will no longer distinguish between dental and other medical services when determining which veterans qualify for coverage.

The expansion phases in over four years to manage implementation. Veterans already eligible for VA dental care begin immediately. Veterans in priority groups 1 and 2 gain access one year after enactment; groups 3 and 4 after two years; groups 5 and 6 after three years; and groups 7 and 8 after four years. The bill does not specify new funding but directs the VA to absorb dental services into its existing medical budget. This phased approach allows the VA to scale up dental infrastructure—hiring providers, expanding clinics, and purchasing equipment—without overwhelming existing capacity.

Key Provisions

1Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to furnish dental care to all eligible veterans under the same eligibility rules and coverage standards as other VA medical services, eliminating separate dental benefit restrictions.
2Eliminates section 2062 of title 38, which previously authorized the VA to establish separate dental benefit rules, and removes language in section 1710 that carved out dental care from standard medical service definitions.
3Establishes a four-year phased implementation schedule in which currently eligible veterans receive coverage immediately, while veterans in priority groups 1–8 gain access incrementally between one and four years after enactment.
4Authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to furnish dentures and dental appliances as part of standard medical care and to procure such appliances directly, removing prior restrictions on procurement methods.
5Updates conforming references in section 1525 and chapter 17 table of contents to reflect the reclassification of dental care from a standalone benefit to a standard medical service.

★ Why this matters

Dental care becomes a standard VA medical benefit rather than a restricted service, meaning eligibility expands significantly and veterans no longer face separate rules for dental versus other health services. The phased rollout allows the VA to gradually absorb dental demand into its existing system without creating immediate capacity shortages. Veterans who currently pay out-of-pocket for dental work may gain access to VA-provided care, reducing personal healthcare costs.

● Who this affects

Veterans in priority groups 1 and 2 (highest priority, including those with service-connected disabilities rated 50 percent or higher) gain access first, followed by veterans in progressively lower priority groups over four years. The Department of Veterans Affairs must expand its dental workforce and infrastructure to meet increased demand. Dental providers in private practice may see reduced patient volume from veterans who shift to VA care. Veterans currently ineligible for VA dental benefits—particularly those in lower priority groups—will eventually qualify for coverage at no out-of-pocket cost.

Bill Text

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<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 210

  To amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs to furnish dental care in the same manner as any other 
                medical service, and for other purposes.

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 6, 2025

  Ms. Brownley (for herself, Mr. Casten, Ms. Moore of Wisconsin, Mr. 
Cohen, Mr. Keating, Mr. Pocan, Mr. Carbajal, Ms. Bonamici, Ms. Kelly of 
   Illinois, Mr. Quigley, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mrs. 
 Dingell, Ms. Barragan, Ms. Tlaib, Mr. Landsman, Mr. Amo, Ms. Norton, 
Mrs. Ramirez, and Ms. Tokuda) introduced the following bill; which was 
             referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

                                 A BILL

 
  To amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs to furnish dental care in the same manner as any other 
                medical service, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Dental Care for Veterans Act''.

SEC. 2. REQUIREMENT THAT SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FURNISH DENTAL 
              CARE IN THE SAME MANNER AS ANY OTHER MEDICAL SERVICE.

    (a) Dental Benefits.--
            (1) In general.--Title 38, United States Code, is amended--
                    (A) in section 1701(6), by striking ``as described 
                in sections 1710 and 1712 of this title'';
                    (B) in section 1710(c), by striking the second 
                sentence;
                    (C) in section 1712--
                            (i) by striking subsections (a) and (b);
                            (ii) by redesignating subsections (c), (d), 
                        (e), and (f) as subsections (a), (b), (c), and 
                        (d), respectively; and
                            (iii) in subsection (a), as redesignated by 
                        subparagraph (B)--
                                    (I) by striking ``Dental 
                                appliances'' and inserting ``The 
                                Secretary may furnish dentures, dental 
                                appliances''; and
                                    (II) by striking ``to be furnished 
                                by the Secretary under this section may 
                                be procured by the Secretary'' and 
                                inserting ``under this section and may 
                                procure such appliances''; and
                    (D) by striking section 2062.
            (2) Phased eligibility.--The amendments made by paragraph 
        (1) shall apply as follows:
                    (A) In the case of an individual who is eligible 
                for dental services and ap…

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Where House representatives currently stand

Built from official statements, public releases, and voting records where they exist. Members without enough evidence are marked as no position.

448 tracked

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444

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Members whose public record points toward backing the bill.

Jason Crow

D-Colorado · District 6

Likely support

Representative Crow is a military veteran (Army Ranger) who prominently features veterans' issues and service to country on his website. While the public record contains no explicit statement about the Dental Care for Veterans Act specifically, his veteran background and emphasis on serving veterans suggest he would likely support veteran-focused benefits legislation. His party affiliation (Democrat) is generally supportive of veteran healthcare expansion. However, without direct evidence of his position on this specific bill, stance is rated as 'possible_support' rather than 'strong_support.' The low confidence reflects the absence of explicit voting record or direct statements about this particular legislation.

Dental Care for Veterans Act

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Dental Care for Veterans Act

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