I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4556 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs to furnish dental care in the same manner as any other medical 
service, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 5, 2017 
Ms. SHEA-PORTER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs to furnish dental care in the 
same manner as any other medical service, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. REQUIREMENT THAT SECRETARY OF VET-
ERANS AFFAIRS FURNISH DENTAL CARE IN 
THE SAME MANNER AS ANY OTHER MEDICAL 
SERVICE. 
(a) DENTAL BENEFITS.— 
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(1) IN
GENERAL.—Title 38, United States 
Code, is amended— 
(A) in section 1701(6), by striking ‘‘as de-
scribed in sections 1710 and 1712 of this title’’; 
(B) in section 1710(c), by striking the sec-
ond sentence; 
(C) in section 1712— 
(i) by striking subsections (a) and (b); 
(ii) by redesignating subsections (c), 
(d), (e), and (f) as subsections (a), (b), (c), 
and (d), respectively; and 
(iii) in subsection (a), as redesignated 
by subparagraph (B)— 
(I) by striking ‘‘Dental appli-
ances’’ and inserting ‘‘The Secretary 
may furnish dentures, dental appli-
ances’’; and 
(II) by striking ‘‘to be furnished 
by the Secretary under this section 
may be procured by the Secretary’’ 
and inserting ‘‘under this section and 
may procure such appliances’’; and 
(D) by striking section 2062. 
(2) PHASED
ELIGIBILITY.—The amendments 
made by paragraph (1) shall apply as follows: 
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(A) In the case of an individual who is eli-
gible for dental services and appliances fur-
nished by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
under chapter 17 of title 38, United States 
Code, on the date of the enactment of this Act, 
beginning on the date of the enactment of this 
Act. 
(B) In the case of a veteran who is not so 
eligible on the date of the enactment of this Act 
and who is described in paragraph (1) or (2) of 
subsection (a) of section 1705 of such title, be-
ginning on the date that is one year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act. 
(C) In the case of a veteran who is not so 
eligible on the date of the enactment of this Act 
and who is described in paragraph (3) or (4) of 
subsection (a) of section 1705 of such title, be-
ginning on the date that is two years after the 
date of the enactment of this Act. 
(D) In the case of a veteran who is not so 
eligible on the date of the enactment of this Act 
and who is described in paragraph (5) or (6) of 
subsection (a) of section 1705 of such title, be-
ginning on the date that is three years after the 
date of the enactment of this Act. 
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(E) In the case of a veteran who is not so 
eligible on the date of the enactment of this Act 
and who is described in paragraph (7) or (8) of 
subsection (a) of section 1705 of such title, be-
ginning on the date that is four years after the 
date of the enactment of this Act. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Title 38, United 
States Code, is further amended— 
(1) in section 1525(a), by striking ‘‘medicines 
under section 1712(d)’’ and inserting ‘‘medicines 
under section 1712(b)’’; and 
(2) in section 1703(a)(7), by striking ‘‘, for a 
veteran described in section 1712(a)(1)(F) of this 
title’’. 
(c) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.—Such title is further 
amended— 
(1) in section 1712, in the heading for such sec-
tion, by striking ‘‘Dental care’’ and inserting 
‘‘Appliances’’; 
(2) in the table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 17, by striking the item relating to section 
1712 and inserting the following new item: 
‘‘1712. Appliances; drugs and medicines for certain disabled veterans; vac-
cines.’’; 
and 
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(3) in the table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 20, by striking the item relating to section 
2062. 
Æ 
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