Dental care for military families is not automatic. Active duty families and Guard/Reserve members use the TRICARE Dental Program, while retirees use FEDVIP. TDP premiums went up slightly on March 1, 2026.
What it is
TRICARE health plans cover medical care, but most dental care and routine eye care for family members need a separate plan.
- TRICARE Dental Program (TDP): A voluntary dental plan for active duty families and for National Guard and Reserve members and their families. The government pays a big share of the premium for active duty families.
- FEDVIP (Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program): Lets retirees and their families buy dental coverage, and lets people enrolled in a TRICARE health plan buy vision coverage. You pick from several private insurance plans.
Who gets it
- Active duty members get dental and eye care from the military at no cost. They do not enroll in TDP for themselves.
- Active duty family members can join TDP. They can also buy FEDVIP vision if they are in a TRICARE health plan.
- Guard and Reserve members can join TDP for themselves and their families. Rates depend on status.
- Retirees, their families and survivors use FEDVIP for dental, and for vision if enrolled in a TRICARE health plan.
What it costs
TDP premiums for March 1, 2026 through February 28, 2027 for active duty families:
- E-4 and below: $8.79 a month single, $22.85 family
- E-5 and above: $11.72 single, $30.47 family
Reserve rates are higher, and they depend on whether you are Selected Reserve or IRR. Survivors pay no TDP premium. FEDVIP premiums depend on the plan, your area and how many people you cover.
How to use it
- Enroll in TDP any time if the sponsor has at least one year left on their service commitment. Coverage begins on a set schedule after you sign up.
- Enroll in FEDVIP through BENEFEDS during the yearly Federal Benefits Open Season (November to December), or within 60 days of retiring. A life event like marriage or a move can also open a window.
- Get your 2 cleanings a year. Preventive care is usually covered at a high rate under TDP.
What people miss
- Retirees lose TDP automatically. When you retire, your family's TDP coverage ends. You have 60 days from your retirement date to join a FEDVIP dental plan. Miss that, and you wait for open season.
- Kids' braces. TDP covers orthodontics for children up to a lifetime max. Check the plan details before treatment starts.
- Plans change. For example, HealthPartners Dental left FEDVIP for 2026, so its members had to pick a new plan. Review your plan each open season.
- Vision is not dental. TRICARE covers some eye exams, but glasses and contacts usually need FEDVIP vision.
- Reservists going on orders. When you are activated, your family's TDP rate may change. Check your premium after orders start and end.
Related
See TRICARE Health Plans and Guard and Reserve Benefits. Veterans who leave service may have VA dental options; see our VA benefits section.
Related benefits
- TRICARE Health Plans and 2026 CostsTRICARE is the military health program. Active duty families pay no enrollment fees for Prime or Select, while retirees pay yearly fees that rose for 2026. Pharmacy copays also went up on January 1, 2026.
- SGLI, FSGLI and TSGLI Life InsuranceSGLI gives you up to $500,000 of low-cost life insurance. The premium dropped in July 2025, so full coverage plus TSGLI now costs $26 a month. Your spouse and kids can be covered too.
- Basic Pay and the 2026 Pay RaiseBasic pay is the core of your paycheck and the number most other benefits are based on. Troops got a 3.8% raise in January 2026. Knowing how basic pay works helps you read your LES and plan for retirement.
- BAH and BAS: Your Housing and Food AllowancesBAH helps pay for housing and BAS helps pay for food, and neither one is taxed. For 2026, BAH rose an average of 4.2% and BAS rose 2.4%. These tax-free dollars are a big part of what you really earn.
Last reviewed 2026-11. Not affiliated with the Department of Defense. Confirm current rates with your finance office or the official source.