This bill establishes a pilot program, commencing October 1, 2026, to provide dental care to veterans residing in rural and highly rural areas , as defined by the Department of Veterans Affairs' Office of Rural Health. This initiative aims to address the significant challenges veterans in underserved geographic locations face in accessing dental services. The program will utilize various mobile methods, including vans equipped with full diagnostic and treatment dental equipment , modular clinics at VA outpatient clinics or rural health fairs, and temporary structures at outreach events. Priority for selecting locations will be given to areas over 75 miles from existing VA dental clinics, those with a high concentration of veterans with unmet dental needs, and rural areas with large veteran populations. The pilot program will run until September 30, 2029, requiring the Secretary to submit annual reports to Congress detailing its operations, costs, and recommendations for improvement or permanency.
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Timeline
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Armed Forces and National Security
Rural Veterans Dental Care Act
USA119th CongressHR-5949| House
| Updated: 11/17/2025
This bill establishes a pilot program, commencing October 1, 2026, to provide dental care to veterans residing in rural and highly rural areas , as defined by the Department of Veterans Affairs' Office of Rural Health. This initiative aims to address the significant challenges veterans in underserved geographic locations face in accessing dental services. The program will utilize various mobile methods, including vans equipped with full diagnostic and treatment dental equipment , modular clinics at VA outpatient clinics or rural health fairs, and temporary structures at outreach events. Priority for selecting locations will be given to areas over 75 miles from existing VA dental clinics, those with a high concentration of veterans with unmet dental needs, and rural areas with large veteran populations. The pilot program will run until September 30, 2029, requiring the Secretary to submit annual reports to Congress detailing its operations, costs, and recommendations for improvement or permanency.