TriCare Dental

Military and Civilian Providers

Depending upon the military installation, some active duty members and their family members are able to obtain their dental care at the local military facility. In many instances, the active duty member will receive dental care from a military dentist while the family members visit civilian dentists. In the event that there are no dental facilities available on the military base or post, both the service member and the family members can seek out dental care from a civilian provider. Although TriCare Dental members can see any dentist they please, there are participating dentists who charge less and file all the paperwork for the insured person.

Sliding Fee Scale

In some instances, military personnel who are in the lower ranks will wind up paying less of a deductible for certain dental procedures. Not all procedures are covered completely by the TriCare Dental plan. Some dental work will require out-of-pocket fees. Examples of dental care procedures that are not fully covered by the plan include:

• Orthodontics
• Restorative Services
• Sealants
• Dental Implants
• Oral Surgery
• Bleaching

The above list is subject to change when the military member and family reside overseas. There are many other procedures which are not fully covered; for a full list, consult TriCare's website for a full listing.

TriCare Dental and United Concordia

TriCare Dental services are managed through United Concordia, a dental insurance company. United Concordia manages dental insurance for millions of people, and military beneficiaries are only a portion of the vast network of beneficiaries they serve. Military members are automatically enrolled in the dental program, but it is up to the military member to enroll all eligible family members into the program.

There is no cost for active duty members to receive dental coverage, but the monthly cost of coverage for eligible dependents is electronically debited from the military member's pay. The monthly charge for dental coverage through United Concordia is very competitive when compared to civilian dental coverage.

TriCare Dental Enrollment Procedures

Military members may fill out all the necessary paperwork online to enroll family members into the TriCare dental program. They can also mail the completed paperwork or fax it to the TriCare office. Most military installations have TriCare offices which have personnel who can assist with completing the enrollment paperwork. Coverage is not instantaneous, however, so it is imperative that applicants await the arrival of their United Concordia identification cards in the mail prior to seeking dental care. Any dental services performed prior to the effective date of the insurance coverage will not be paid for by TriCare.

Enrollment Requirements

Only the military member can enroll family members. The only way a family member can initiate enrollment is if the military member is deployed and there is a Power of Attorney in use. Military members who have less than twelve months remaining in their enlistment are not eligible to enroll in the TriCare Dental program. Additionally, the serviceperson must enroll every eligible family member in the dental program at the same time…this means the spouse and all children over the age of four must be enrolled together instead of only signing up one family member for dental coverage.

Portable Coverage

Since military members and their families have a tendency to move quite a bit, the TriCare Dental plan is very flexible when it comes to using it in a new location. Insured members merely need to update their address and contact information when they move to a new location. Family members need to find a new dentist, but their benefits remain the same.

For more information, contact the TriCare/Concordia customer service at (800) 866-8499.