Citation Nr: 20005210 Decision Date: 01/22/20 Archive Date: 01/22/20 DOCKET NO. 08-31 848 DATE: January 22, 2020 REMANDED Entitlement to service connection for chronic dental problems is remanded. REASONS FOR REMAND The Veteran had active service from January 1979 to November 1983 and from November 1986 to June 1996. This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a July 2006 rating decision issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO). In December 2011, the Veteran testified before the undersigned Veterans Law Judge (VLJ). A copy of the transcript has been associated with the Veteran’s electronic claims folder. Entitlement to service connection for chronic dental problems is remanded. In June 2017, the Board remanded the matter to obtain an addendum opinion from the VA dentist who conducted the December 2015 examination and provided the December 2016 and February 2017 addendum reports. In a July 2019 statement, the VA dentist stated, “answers to questions cannot be answered without additional examination. Set up to be rescheduled.” The Veteran was scheduled for another examination but was noted to have failed to report. A review of the record suggests that there have been several notices returned undeliverable. Therefore, the Board finds that a remand is necessary to afford the Veteran another opportunity to attend a VA examination. Efforts should be made to verify the Veteran’s current mailing address and notification of the scheduled VA examination appointment is to be documented in the Veteran’s electronic claims folder. The matters are REMANDED for the following action: Verify the Veteran’s current mailing address and then schedule him for a VA dental and oral conditions examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran’s chronic dental problems. The electronic claims folder, including a copy of this remand, must be made available to the examiner for review prior to the examination. All indicated tests must be performed all findings reported in detail. The examiner is requested to provide an opinion on the following: Opine as to the Veteran’s current dental disorders. Does he have impairment of the mandible, loss of a portion of the ramus, loss of a portion of the maxilla, or loss of teeth due to loss of substance of the body of the maxilla or mandible? Does he have defective or missing teeth, tooth disease, dental abscess, or disease or the periodontal tissue? (Any existent dental disorder must be specifically identified and described.) If the Veteran has the following disorders – impairment of the mandible, loss of a potion of the ramus, loss of a portion of the maxilla or loss of teeth due to loss of substance of the body of the maxilla or mandible – is it at least as likely as not (50 percent probability or greater) that any of these problems began in or are related to active service? The examiner is requested to review the Veteran’s service treatment records and summarize his dental condition at entry into service in 1979, during service, and at discharge from service in 1995. Analysis of his dental condition between 1979 and 1995 is helpful to the Board’s analysis. A complete rationale for all opinions reached must be provided. Michael A. Pappas Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals Attorney for the Board L. Baskerville The Board’s decision in this case is binding only with respect to the instant matter decided. This decision is not precedential, and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.