Congress Proposes Bill to Provide Full Dental Coverage to All Veterans Enrolled in VA Healthcare
The Dental Care for Veterans Act is currently in the House Committee on Veterans Affairs. The bill is stalled because it has not received a committee vote since the hearings held on May 19, 2026. A house committee must take further action for the bill to move forward.
No action since May 2026
This bill’s path across every version that has carried it.
Reintroduced
Reintroduced from H.R. 2413 (118th), which died when its Congress ended.
H.R. 2413 (118th) →Scores run from -100 (strongly harmful) to +100 (strongly beneficial) for each group, combining impact, certainty, scope, and duration ratings of 1-5. How impact scoring works
This bill would make dental care a standard VA health benefit for all enrolled veterans, not just the small percentage who currently qualify. Right now, most veterans have to pay for dental work out of pocket or go without. Under this proposal, checkups, cleanings, dentures, and other dental services would be available through the VA just like any other medical visit. The phased rollout over four years would gradually expand eligibility based on priority groups, eventually covering all enrolled veterans.
Committee Hearings Held
Committee Hearings Held
Subcommittee on Health Discharged
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
The VA is overhauling its community care dental program, releasing a request for proposals for a new administrator to manage a nationwide network. The move aims to standardize care for the 2.3 million veterans currently eligible while Congress considers bills like the Dental Care for Veterans Act.
The House overwhelmingly approved the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare Act. Among dozens of provisions, the bill establishes a pilot program to provide dental care to veterans with certain service-connected conditions, seen as a first step toward broader dental eligibility.
H.R. 210, the Dental Care for Veterans Act, seeks to eliminate the complex eligibility tiers that currently leave 85% of veterans without VA dental benefits. The bill proposes a four-year phased rollout to make dental care a standard part of the VA medical package for all enrolled veterans.
No votes or related bills recorded for this bill yet.
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Dental Care for Veterans Act
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