https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/pdf/web/ARN15378_AD2019_07_Final.pdf
MEMORANDUM FOR SEE DISTRIBUTION
SUBJECT: Army Directive 2019-07 (Army Dental Readiness and Deployability)
1. References. A list of references is in the enclosure.
2. Purpose and Scope. The Army of 2028 will be ready to deploy, fight, and win
decisively against any adversary, anytime and anywhere, in a joint, multi-domain, high-
intensity conflict while simultaneously deterring others and maintaining its ability to
conduct irregular warfare. Individual Soldier readiness directly affects unit readiness
and our ability to meet combatant commander requirements. This directive implements
changes to dental readiness policy in accordance with reference c to enhance the
readiness of all units. These changes are in concert with the Secretary of Defense’s
Administrative and Personnel Policies Working Group to Enhance Readiness and
Lethality. Commanders are reminded that oral health disease is one of the most
common causes of disease non-battle injury, and Soldiers with uncorrected, severe
dental deficiencies have a 75 percent chance of experiencing a dental emergency within
1 year. Although the Army has experienced a considerable reduction of the number of
nondeployable Soldiers since June 2016, more will be done to reduce this number
further.
3. Policy
a. Soldiers are considered deployable unless they have a Service-determined
reason that prevents them from deployment in accordance with reference c. To be
deployable, Soldiers must meet the criteria established in reference e.
b. Soldiers with Dental Readiness Classification (DRC) 3 conditions are in Medical
Readiness Classification (MRC) 3 category as Deployment-Limiting (DL) code 2 and will
be considered deployable in accordance with reference c. Until the medical readiness
system can be updated to automatically show these Soldiers as not medically ready and
deployable, commanders will routinely make DRC 3 Soldiers deployable in the
Commander’s Portal of the Medical Operational Data System. Commanders retain the
ability to determine the Soldier is unable to deploy based on the dental treatment
required.
c. Pursuant to references c, d, and i, commanders will ensure that Soldiers receive
all appropriate dental care to correct deficiencies to their Individual Medical Readiness.
S E C R E T A R Y O F T H E A R M Y
W A S H I N G T O N
SUBJECT: Army Directive 2019-07 (Army Dental Readiness and Deployability)
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d. A physical profile is based on a clinical assessment of a Soldier’s ability to
perform duty. Dental conditions that cannot be corrected within 30 days will be profiled
and categorized as MRC 3, DL code 1 similar to other duty limiting medical conditions
requiring a recovery period of 30 days or more in accordance with references f and j.
Commanders will minimize administrative delays and barriers to care to optimize
readiness for resolution upon identification.
e. Soldiers who are deficient in annual dental examination requirements, DRC 4,
are deployable in accordance with reference c.
4. Applicability. The provisions of this directive apply to the Regular Army, Army
National Guard/Army National Guard of the United States, and U.S. Army Reserve.
5. Proponent. The proponent for this directive is The Surgeon General, who will
incorporate these changes into Army Regulation (AR) 40-3 (Medical, Dental, and
Veterinary Care); AR 40-35 (Preventive Dentistry and Dental Readiness); and
AR 40-501 (Standards of Medical Fitness), and will coordinate revisions with the
proponents of other relevant regulations within 2 years of the date of this directive.
6. Duration. This directive is rescinded upon publication of the revised regulations.
Encl Mark T. Esper
DISTRIBUTION:
Principal Officials of Headquarters, Department of the Army
Commander
U.S. Army Forces Command
U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command
U.S. Army Materiel Command
U.S. Army Futures Command
U.S. Army Pacific
U.S. Army Europe
U.S. Army Central
U.S. Army North
U.S. Army South
U.S. Army Africa/Southern European Task Force
U.S. Army Special Operations Command
Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command
(CONT)
SUBJECT: Army Directive 2019-07 (Army Dental Readiness and Deployability)
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DISTRIBUTION: (CONT)
U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Strategic Command
U.S. Army Cyber Command
U.S. Army Medical Command
U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command
U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command
U.S. Army Corp of Engineers
U.S. Army Military District of Washington
U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command
U.S. Army Installation Management Command
U.S. Army Human Resources Command
U.S. Army Financial Management Command
U.S. Army Marketing and Engagement Brigade
Superintendent, United States Military Academy
Director, U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center
Superintendent, Arlington National Cemetery
Commandant, U.S. Army War College
Director, U.S. Army Civilian Human Resources Agency
CF:
Director, Army National Guard
Director of Business Transformation
Commander, Eighth Army
Enclosure
REFERENCES
a. Title 10, United States Code, section 10206 (Members: physical examinations).
b. National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018, Pub. L. No. 115-91,
section 1062, 131 Stat. 1575.
c. Department of Defense Instruction 1332.45 (Retention Determinations for Non-
Deployable Service Members), July 30, 2018.
d. Department of Defense Instruction 6025.19 (Individual Medical Readiness (IMR)),
June 9, 2014.
e. Army Directive (AD) 2018-22 (Retention Policy for Non-Deployable Soldiers),
08 November 2018.
f. AD 2018-11 (Update to Redesign of Personnel Readiness and Medical
Deployability), 10 September 2018.
g. AD 2016-07 (Redesign of Personnel Readiness and Medical Deployability),
01 March 2016.
h. Army Regulation (AR) 40-3 (Medical, Dental, and Veterinary Care), 23 April 2013.
i. AR 40-35 (Preventive Dentistry and Dental Readiness), 21 July 2016.
j. AR 40-501 (Standards of Medical Fitness), 14 June 2017.
k. AR 600-20 (Army Command Policy), 6 November 2014.
