Dental Care
All veterans should have access to dental services.
Proper dental hygiene is essential to our physical and psychological health. WVRF’s Critical Dental Assistance Program provides immediate critical dental care to qualified wounded and disabled veterans throughout the state of Florida.
There are roughly 1.5 million veterans living in Florida.
85% of wounded and disabled veterans who are enrolled in the VA do not receive VA dental care.
With proper dental care, the risk of heart attack is reduced by 35%.
About the Critical Dental Assistance Program
The Critical Dental Assistance Program funds major critical and reconstructive dental services to eligible wounded and disabled veterans throughout Florida. Our Critical Dental Assistance Program aims to address tooth pain or decay that impairs a veteran’s ability to chew, or missing teeth that may impair a veteran from securing employment.
veterans provided with
critical dental care in 2023.
dollars spent on
critical dental care in 2023.
dollars spent on
critical dental care so far in 2024.
Veteran Stories
Mike S.
US Marine Corps Veteran Mike S. shares his experience as a WVRF Critical Dental Assistance Program recipient.
Charly M.
US Army Veteran Charly M. shares his experience as a WVRF Critical Dental Assistance Program participant.
Restoring smiles to Florida’s wounded and disabled veterans.
Veteran Eligibility Requirements
1
Must be a U.S. Military Veteran with any discharge status other than dishonorable.
2
Currently living in Florida and a resident of Florida.
3
Enrolled in the VA Healthcare system in Florida.
4
Must have a combined service-connected disability rating of 30%-90%, or have an active pending SCD claim, or a is purple heart recipient.
5
Must not qualify for VA Dental Care.
6
Must be in need of critical dental care (WVRF does not assist with routine, cosmetic, or long-term dental care).
How to Apply for Dental Care
If you are a veteran who meets the above eligibility requirements, your next step is to reach out to your PACT Team Social Worker or your county-appointed Veteran Service Officer (VSO) for a referral.
Your VA Representative or county-appointed Veteran Service Officer (VSO) will send WVRF a referral email confirming your identity and eligibility, then WVRF will send you an intake application email directly.
Social Workers, VA Representatives, and VSOs
To learn more about sending a referral to WVRF, please complete the form and a WVRF Case Worker will contact you.
Veteran Process for Dental Care
WVRF's Dental Care process is organized into 2 phases:
1
Phase One: Application
The veteran’s VA Representative or county-appointed VSO will send WVRF a referral email confirming the veteran’s identity and eligibility. WVRF will then send the veteran a secure link to the dental application via email.
Once the veteran is accepted into the program, the case manager will refer the veteran to a WVRF dental partner for dental care.
2
Phase Two: Implementation
A WVRF case manager will contact the veteran with their designated dental partner for initial appointment. The WVRF case manager reviews recommended dental treatment plans and informs the veteran whether or not they are approved.
The veteran is responsible for scheduling all dental appointments for the entire treatment plan moving forward.
Veteran Process for Dental Care
Phase One: Application
1
Referral
The veteran’s VA Representative (Social Worker, RN, PCP, etc.) or county-appointed VSO must send WVRF an email referral to begin the process.
2
Intake Application
The veteran will receive an email from WVRF titled “Wounded Veterans Relief Fund Application,” with a secure link to the veteran’s application. It is the veteran’s responsibility to complete the application.
3
Sign the Document
WVRF reviews the completed application and sends out a Dropbox Sign email for both the VA and Rep/VSO and the veteran to review and digitally sign off on the veteran’s completed application.
4
Upload Your Documents
WVRF sends out an “Upload Your Documents,” email with a secure link for veterans to safely and securely upload their supporting documents, to include Medical and Dental records. Documents must be uploaded in PDF file format.
5
Case Review
WVRF will review the completed case file only when all of the required documents are uploaded in the proper format. WVRF may request additional clarification and notify the veteran of acceptance into the program.
Veteran Process for Dental Care
Phase Two: Implementation
1
Referral
WVRF will refer the veteran to WVRF’s nearest dental partner. The veteran will then call and schedule the initial appointment.
2
Treatment Plan
The WVRF Dental Partner will send the recommended treatment plan to WVRF for review. WVRF will review the proposed dental treatment plan for approval.
3
Appointments
It is the veteran’s responsibility to schedule and attend follow-up dental appointments. The veteran will schedule appointments through the Dental Partner directly.
4
Check In
Check in with your WVRF case manager to provide updates and send over treatment plan updates, scheduling changes, etc.
5
Complete
When the veteran completes treatment, they will notify the WVRF case manager. It is the veteran’s responsibility to schedule routine maintenance and cleaning at the veteran’s expense.
Our Scope of Work
The Critical Dental Assistance Program funds major critical and reconstructive dental services like addressing tooth pain or decay that impairs a veteran’s ability to chew, or missing teeth that may impair a veteran from securing employment. Our Dental Program does not cover cosmetic or orthodontic treatments that are not functional or medically necessary.
At this time, WVRF’s Critical Dental Assistance Program will fund one treatment plan per veteran. Once the veteran completes the treatment plan, the veteran will be morally and financially responsible for maintaining their new smiles through good oral hygiene and routine maintenance, including cleanings.
Covered
Root canals
Dentures
Implants
Tooth pain
Cracked, broken or missing teeth
Cavities
Fillings, extractions
Not Covered
Orthodontics
Routine cleanings
Tooth whitening
Routine maintenance
Questions?
If you aren’t sure whether or not the request falls under our scope of work, please reach out to us and ask!