Incentive and Special Pay

SPECIAL PAY for DENTAL OFFICERS

Dental Officer Accession Bonus: This is an incentive for dentists to enter and remain in service, and to ensure that branches have an adequate number of officers to meet military dental care need in peacetime and wartime settings. Individuals must accept a commission as an officer of the Dental Corps of the Army or the Navy or an officer of the Air Force designated as a dental officer, to serve on active duty for a period of at least four years. As of 2008, the accession bonus for dental officers was raised to $75,000.

Dental Officer Variable Special Pay (VSP): The Variable Special Pay is a bump in the monthly pay for all dental officers, including interns, as an incentive to remain on active duty after completion of ADSO (for advanced training). This is an entitlement pay, determined by years of commendable service, and paid on a monthly basis:

• An intern, or officers with less than 3 years of creditable service: $250/month
• Officer has 3 but less than 8 years of creditable service and is not an intern: $583.33/month
• Officer has 8 but less than 12 years of creditable service: $1,000/month
• Officer has 12 but less than 14 years of creditable service: $833/month
• Officer has 14 but less than 18 years of creditable service: $750/month
• Officer has 18 or more years of creditable service: $666/month
• Officer is serving in a pay grade above O-6: $583.33/month

Dental Officer Board Certification Pay (BCP): Dental officers in the military are considered Board Certified if they are deemed qualified by an American Dental Specialty Examining Board, recognized by the American Dental Association (ADA), or granted a Board Certification Equivalency Certificate, issued by the DoD or a military-recognized specialty unique to the military dentistry. BCP in intended to promote quality health care by encouraging all dental officers to attain board certification, and also as a retention incentive. BCP is paid monthly, and the amount ranges between $208.33 and $500 per month, based on years of commendable service.

Additional Special Pay (ASP) for Dental Officers: Dental officers already eligible for VSP (except those undergoing internship or initial residency training) may be entitled to ASP if they sign an agreement to stay on active duty for any additional 12-month period.

Rates payable for each 12-month period:

• Officers with less than 3 years of service are entitled to ASP of $4,000
• Officers with at least 3, but less than 10 years of service are entitled to ASP of $6,000
• Officers with at least 10 or more years of creditable service are entitled to ASP of $15,000

Multi-year Retention Bonus for Dental Officers: This Special Pay for Dental Officers is to attract and retain an adequate number of dental officers to meet armed forces' health care needs. The award –contingent on a 4-year contract with the military—is for dental officers with specialties in oral and maxillofacial surgery, in pay grade below O-7, with at least 8 years of commendable service, and have completed their ADSO for dental education and training, and initial residency training.