On August 6, 2007, the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps announced a new $60,000 accession bonus for dentists who sign a 4-year active duty agreement. On January 29, 2008, that new accession bonus was raised to $75,000. Newly commissioned dentists that are called to active duty (CAD) on or after January 29, 2008, can be eligible for the bonus.

Additional Bonuses

All dentists—regardless of the date they were called to active duty—are eligible for both contractual special pay bonuses and monthly special pay bonuses, which include:

• Variable special pay (VSP)—a monthly pay based on the dental officer’s years of creditable service. The creditable service entry date (CSED) reflects the officer’s years of active duty as a dental officer in any of the Uniformed Services. For dental officers, CSED also includes the years spent participating in an accredited medical or dental internship/residency while not on active duty in a Uniformed Service. VSP bonuses range from $3,000 to $12,000 for dental officers. The rate is determined by the length of creditable service.
• Board certified pay (BCP) for dental specialists—paid monthly, special pay ranges from $2,500 to $6,000 annually based on years of creditable service.
• Additional special pay (ASP)—is an annual bonus payable to eligible dental officers who agree to serve on active duty for 1 year in the Commissioned Corps. ASP is designed to attract and retain qualified dentists. Unless otherwise ineligible, all dental officers may receive ASP. This bonus ranges from $4,000 to $15,000 and is based on years of creditable service.
• Multiyear retention bonus (MRB) for board eligible specialists or advanced general practice residents (AGPR)—depending on the dental officer’s specialty training and length of new contracts, the MRB bonus ranges from $8,000 to $50,000. All contractual bonuses are lump sum payments. ASP and MRB are paid in annual installments and all special pays are taxable income. The new accession bonus and other special pays demonstrate why the Commissioned Corps is the hottest career choice for the Nation’s best dentists! Please call 800-279-1605 to speak to a recruiter.

All contractual bonuses are lump sum payments. ASP and MRB are paid in annual installments and all special pays are taxable income. The new accession bonus and other special pays demonstrate why the Commissioned Corps is the hottest career choice for the Nation’s best dentists! Please call 800-279-1605 to speak to a recruiter.

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