VA moves to improve dental care access for eligible Veterans

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers medical care for veterans here in the Mat-Su and Anchorage, along with nearly 1700 medical centers across the United States, serving over 9 million veterans. These facilities are part of a larger integrated network that includes over 1,100 community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs) and various other health care sites.

When it comes to dental care, however, the VA has only 200 locations across the United States, including Alaska and Puerto Rico. Of the nearly nine million Veterans enrolled in VA health care, approximately 26% are eligible for dental care. In fiscal year 2025 alone, 888,051 Veterans received dental care through VA, with more than 3.5 million dental procedures delivered through community care.

To address and increase a more robust dental network, the VA has released a request for proposals for a new dental care administrator to operate the department’s next generation network of community care dental providers.

The goal is to contract with a vendor that will support the department in building and maintaining a more robust national network of licensed dental providers and practitioners. The network will include general and specialty dental care, preventive dental services, and pharmacy support.

Through this new contract, the VA aims to improve and standardize dental care delivery, ensuring Veterans receive the preventive and restorative dental services they need to maintain their health.

The VA’s community care program enables Veterans to access health care from non-VA medical providers at the department’s expense, which has been an integral part of caring for Veterans since the World War II era. In 2018, President Trump protected this right for Veterans when he signed the bipartisan MISSION Act. Today, about 40% of all VA care is provided through community care.

“Dental health is a critical component of overall well-being,” said VA Secretary Doug Collins. “This RFP will result in a contract that dramatically improves our ability to provide quality dental care to eligible Veterans while ensuring they can choose the provider that’s best for them.”

The VA invites interested companies to submit proposals by March 16, 2026.