Caring for your child’s oral health can be a stressful task. The decisions you make can affect their oral health for a lifetime. The TRICARE Dental Program (TDP) is here to help you make the right decisions about your child’s oral health. You may have questions about how to use TDP to better care for your child’s teeth and gums.
Here are some questions and answers about your child’s dental coverage.
1. When should my child see the dentist for the first time?
The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends that children first visit the dentist within six months of the appearance of the child’s first tooth, but no later than the child’s first birthday. “Once your baby gets teeth, they can develop cavities,” according to the ADA.
Children under 1 year old can enroll in TDP at any time. The TDP covers two routine cleanings and two fluoride treatments during a consecutive 12-month period for children aged 1 year and older.
2. How often can my child go to the dentist for a regular cleaning and checkup?
Your child may visit the dentist for regular checkups and cleanings twice in a consecutive 12-month period.
3. How do I know if my child’s dental service is covered?
Always check with your dentist about treatments and ask for a prescription when you need to know whether or not a procedure is covered. Predetermination is a claim submitted by the dentist prior to rendering any service for a proposed treatment plan for covered services. This will help you find out how much you will have to pay for certain dental care. For coverage information, check it out TRICARE Dental Program Handbook. You can also call or visit United Concordia TDP website to log into yours my account.
4. Should I enroll my child in DEERS?
Yes, you must first register your child in Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEER) before the child receives TDP coverage. United Concordia uses DEERS to verify eligibility for dental benefits. This applies to any TRICARE program. See the article, “Is your DEERS information up to date?” to learn more.
5. When will my adult child lose his rights?
Adult children of a TRICARE sponsor usually lose TDP coverage after age 21. However, there are exceptions. To remain eligible for TDP benefits after age 21, your adult child must be unmarried and enrolled full-time at an approved higher education institution. Also, the child must receive at least 50% of the financial support from their sponsor. Adult children age 21 and older who attend college remain eligible for TDP coverage until the last day of the month in which they turn 23 or when their education or college enrollment ends.
As described in TRICARE Dental Program Handbookunmarried children who have a disabling illness or injury that occurred before their 21st birthday also remain eligible for TDP benefits until age 23. The same applies to adults who develop an illness or injury between the ages of 21 and 23 while attending an approved institution of higher learning.
Want to keep up with the latest dental news? If so, read his latest issue TRICARE Dental Program Health Matters Newsletter. In Issue 1, you’ll learn about network dentists, tobacco and oral health, preventive dental care, and more. In case you missed it, be sure to check it out.
