Posted on Jul 13, 2015
Should Guard/Reserve Members have to pay for yearly Dental Exams?
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Should the Guard pay for a members mandatory yearly dental exam or should the member have to pay. Why or why not?
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Health
Health
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 8
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I've been in the Air Guard for 13 yrs now, and served 2 States in that time. I've always felt that since it is a military requirement, the military should cover it. We also have to have a 5 year exam, which our unit dentist "sometimes" performs, but if they are unable, the member has to use a certain group of outside providers. Their insurance might not be accepted at those providers, so member could incur much higher expenses. I've got a couple folks that got LOC & LOR because they didn't have insurance and couldn't get the problems fixed. Pretty unfair if you ask me....and you did. Military requirement should equal military money.
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Nice to see the Army does pony up an exam. The Navy Reserve does exams as well. For years I had the best of both worlds. I'd pick up my dental record and have my dentist out in town (also a Navy Dentist) just fill that one out as well when I got my regular exams and cleaning. It made life easier.
I will say the Guard is established under different statues, hence there are likely variations in what they provide. I wouldn't be surprised if medical is run differently.
I will say the Guard is established under different statues, hence there are likely variations in what they provide. I wouldn't be surprised if medical is run differently.
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COL Vincent Stoneking
I have done the same (had my personal dentist fill out the form) for at least the last 14 years or so. I paid out of pocket, but it was easier and covered under my civilian insurance anyway. I have seen a military dentist exactly once in that time, when I destroyed a molar and needed a replacement while in Iraq.
The option has always existed, while I have been in, to have a military dentist perform the annual exam for both the guard and reserve.
The option has always existed, while I have been in, to have a military dentist perform the annual exam for both the guard and reserve.
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Doesn't the Guard do that? For the Army Reserve, we had to be 100% on our medical readiness so they paid for an exam. Any work would have to be paid by the Soldier but at least the exam was free.
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SSgt (Join to see)
I have been in the air guard for 7 years now and a side from the exam I got at basic and right before my deployment I have paid for every one of them
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CW2 (Join to see)
SSgt (Join to see) - National Guard like Army Reserve can call LHI and get their free annual dental exam. You'd then submit your signed attendance voucher to your unit for pay (if funds are available) but at least He exam is free. If they find issues that impede your deployment readiness then they'll schedule you for any additional appointments at the army's expense for you to be covered.
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I've been in the PA Air Guard for 12+ years and I have never had to pay for either the annual dental exam or the 5 year exam. The latter is always provided by my Wing medical, and the annual is provided through the Reserve Health Readiness Program (RHRP).
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The yearly dental exams don't do anything. They look around and give you a classification. They don't even do a cleaning. I wouldn't pay my civilian dentist for so little. No way am I going to make a Soldier pay for an exam that is just going to have to be re-done by a civilian dentist so they can fix the problems that the Army dentist didn't.
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If they want their readiness to be up to date, dental is one of the major hold ups when in processing for a mob, if their soldiers are good to go then they have to spend less time in medical.
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Yes, I presume that the dentist works at the base hospital and is going to be paid eithere way. If e sees one person or ten.
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SSgt (Join to see)
TSgt Kenneth Ellis, most guard bases do not have hospitals on them. They usually have one or two unit docs that meet the very basic needs and any thing over that if it's an emergency you get sent to the local hospital. If it's something that can wait they try to send you to the closest military medical facilities. For me that is an hour and a half from my base and they do have a dentist there but the dentist will not do your yearly exam. If your civilian dentist marks you as a three or four he will look at your mouth and can clear you but you have to go to your civilian dentist before he will see you. He dose not do your yearly exam. It is my thought that if he is allowed to clear you then why can't he just do the exam thus cutting out the middle man and saving the guard member a lot of money. I can understand if there's something that needs fixed then the member would have to pay for whatever procedure that is needed. Just an opinion from a low man on the food chain.
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Yes just like a yearly physical exam with their own PMC manager and reflect on DA Medical firm as required by Army Regulations
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