TRICARE Dental Coverage & Costs (2026 Guide) | TRICARE.com

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## Is it covered? TRICARE provides very limited dental coverage under its health plans, usually restricted to adjunctive dental care (medical necessity) or emergency services. Comprehensive dental care—such as cleanings, fillings, and crowns—requires a separate enrollment in a premium-based dental plan like the TRICARE Dental Program (TDP) or FEDVIP.

## What TRICARE covers Under the standard TRICARE medical benefit (Prime, Select, and For Life), dental services are only covered when they are "adjunctive," meaning the dental work is integral to the treatment of a covered medical condition.

### Covered Medical-Dental Services: * **Emergency Care:** Treatment for acute infection, traumatic injury to the jaw/face, or severe pain. * **Adjunctive Dental:** Dental care required as a direct result of a medical disease (e.g., dental extractions prior to radiation therapy for oral cancer). * **Surgical Repair:** Treatment for a fractured jaw or craniofacial anomalies like a cleft palate. * **General Anesthesia:** Coverage for anesthesia and the hospital/surgical center costs if a dental procedure must be performed in a hospital due to a severe physical or mental disability.

### Explicitly Excluded (Under Medical Plans): * Routine cleanings, exams, and localized X-rays. * Restorative work (fillings, crowns, bridges). * Orthodontics (braces). * Periodontal treatment (gum disease).

### Separate Dental Plans: To get routine coverage, you must enroll in one of the following: * **TRICARE Dental Program (TDP):** For active duty family members, Guard/Reserve members, and their families. Managed by United Concordia. * **Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP):** For retirees and their family members. Managed by OPM/Benefeds.

## Costs Costs for dental depend entirely on whether the service is medical (adjunctive) or through a standalone dental plan.

### 2026 Medical Dental Costs (Adjunctive): * **TRICARE Prime:** $0 for covered adjunctive dental care at military hospitals or with a referral. * **TRICARE Select:** For 2026, Group A retirees may pay a cost-share of 20%–25% for covered medical-dental procedures after the deductible is met. * **Active Duty:** $0 for all dental care (must use military dental clinics first).

### 2026 Standalone Dental Premiums: * **TDP Premiums:** Vary by sponsor status (Active Duty, Selected Reserve). For 2026, monthly premiums for a single active duty family member generally range from $12 to $35. * **FEDVIP:** Rates vary significantly by the specific private insurance carrier selected (e.g., Delta Dental, Blue Cross Blue Shield, MetLife).

## Pre-authorization & referrals * **Active Duty:** Must have a referral from their military dental clinic for any civilian dental care. * **Prime:** Requires a referral and prior authorization from the regional contractor (Humana Military in the East; TriWest in the West) for adjunctive dental medical care to be covered under the medical benefit. * **Select:** No referral is required for dental plans (TDP/FEDVIP), but your dentist should submit a "predetermination of benefits" for expensive procedures like crowns or root canals to avoid unexpected 2026 costs.

## Where to get care * **Active Duty:** Always start at your assigned Military Dental Clinic. * **TDP Enrollees:** Use the **United Concordia** provider search tool to find a participating dentist. * **Retirees (FEDVIP):** Use the **Benefeds.com** portal to find providers based on the specific insurance company you chose during Open Season. * **Medical/Adjunctive Care:** Use the **Humana Military** (East) or **TriWest** (West) provider directories for oral surgeons or specialists.

## Sources * **TRICARE.mil:** [Dental Care Overview](https://www.tricare.mil/Dental) * **TRICARE Policy Manual:** [Chapter 8, Section 13.1: Adjunctive Dental Care](https://manuals.health.mil/) * **Defense Health Agency (DHA):** [Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) Eligibility](https://www.benefeds.com/) * **United Concordia:** [TRICARE Dental Program (TDP) Benefits](https://www.uccitdp.com/)