Dental Assistant Program
Looking to start a career in the dental field? The Dental Assistant Program (DAP) at Fort Riley offers a competitive, no-cost, 8-month training opportunity for selected participants. This intensive program provides the foundational education, chairside experience, and clinical skills needed to serve as a volunteer in a Fort Riley dental clinic and build a pathway toward future employment in dentistry.

Application Period

Opens: February 9, 2026

Closes: May 29, 2026
Warfighter Refractive Eye Surgery
Available at Irwin Army Community Hospital.
Specialty Care Clinic Check-In
All patients visiting specialty care clinics located on the 2nd floor will check in at the OB/GYN & Well Women’s Clinic front desk. Affected clinics:

Orthopedics • Podiatry • Brace Shop • Optometry • Ophthalmology • Audiology • General Surgery • OB/GYN & Well Women

Ambulatory Surgery and Oral Surgery will continue checking in patients at their respective locations.
VIPRR
The Virtually Integrated Patient Readiness and Remote (VIPRR) care clinic is an urgent care alternative for TRICARE Prime beneficiaries age 12 and older. VIPRR connects patients to credentialed military health providers through the MHS Nurse Advice Line.
Same Day Appointments
Irwin Army Community Hospital has rolled out a new program aimed at making it easier for patients to access same-day appointments in our Patient-Centered Medical Homes (PCMH). Each morning at 7:30 a.m., IACH posts the number of same-day appointments available that day on the hospital’s Facebook page, giving patients an opportunity to secure last-minute openings for medical care without needing to go off-post.
Visit our new Virtual Education Center
The Defense Health Agency's Virtual Education Center is an online educational platform with more than 50,000 resources covering 60 medical topics. The Virtual Education Center puts the power in your hands to research health topics before you talk to your provider.
Quality and Safety
Make an Appointment
Connect with a Patient Advocate Do you have a suggestion, concern, complaint or compliment? Contact Us Now

Irwin Army Community Hospital Videos

Feature
Leaders from Irwin Army Community Hospital and the Eastern Kansas VA Health Care System came together on Jan. 14, 2026, to reaffirm and strengthen a long-standing partnership focused on one outcome: better care for Soldiers, Veterans, and their families. In this feature, COL Laudino Castillo, IACH Commander, and Mr. Rudy Klopfer, Executive Director of the Eastern Kansas VA Health Care System, discuss how their Resource Sharing Agreement allows both organizations to align staffing, specialties, and capabilities to close gaps in access to care. From specialty services and radiology to women’s health, optometry, and mammography, the partnership reduces travel time, improves timeliness, and brings high-quality care closer to home.

Stronger Together

Feature
Irwin Army Community Hospital remains committed to providing safe, quality care for expectant mothers at Fort Riley. In this message, the Clinical Nurse Officer in Charge of Labor and Delivery explains how IACH ensures continuity of care during periods of fluctuating staffing by coordinating closely with partner hospitals nearby while always remaining ready to assess, stabilize, and care for any mother who comes through our doors. This approach reflects IACH’s ongoing focus on patient safety, seamless care, and support for military families at every stage of pregnancy and childbirth.

Committed to Safe Maternity Care

Feature
What does it take to be named NCO/Soldier of the Year at Irwin Army Community Hospital? It’s more than strength. More than speed. More than knowing the right answer. In this year’s competition, four Soldiers stepped forward to test themselves under pressure on the obstacle course, in a tactical combat casualty care lane, through a written exam, and before a demanding oral board. Every event pushed their physical limits. Every moment tested their mindset. Behind the sweat and strain are quiet battles most people never see: self-doubt, fatigue, responsibility to teammates, and the weight of representing their profession. The winner will be announced at IACH's Holiday Ball Jan. 17, 2026.

NCO/Soldier of the Year Competition

Feature
When SSG Richard Banks found himself thousands of miles from home, fighting to save a failing marriage while carrying the weight of leadership, grief, and exhaustion, he reached a breaking point no one around him could see. What followed was a turning point sparked by the quiet intervention of a leader who refused to let him fall, and sustained by a newfound passion that pulled him forward. In this intimate conversation, SSG Banks shares how he stepped back from the edge and discovered purpose through endurance training. It will remind anyone struggling in silence that their story isn’t over, and that help, purpose, and connection can be found. SSG Banks is the NCOIC for Training & Education at Irwin Army Community Hospital.

Becoming Ironman

More

Irwin Army Community Hospital News

News
Fort Riley community members have a unique opportunity to gain valuable, transferable career skills through the upcoming Dental Assistant Training Program, offered in partnership between the American Red Cross and the Dental Activity at Irwin Army Community Hospital. Running from September 2026 through April 2027, this competitive program provides 800 hours of structured classroom instruction and hands-on clinical experience inside Fort Riley dental clinics. While the program prepares participants with the education and practical skills needed to serve as a dental assistant within a military treatment facility, it comes at no tuition cost to those selected.

Launch Your Dental Career Here

News
In February 2026, Irwin Army Community Hospital installed a new CT scanner delivering one of the most important advances in medical imaging: clearer images with less radiation exposure. CT imaging is used in diagnosing many of the injuries commonly seen in the Fort Riley military population, including complex fractures, head injuries, spinal trauma, and internal bleeding.

Modern Imaging, Safer Care

News
Master Sgt. Dawn Ho, a long-serving member of the Kansas Army National Guard, overcame a career-threatening injury and the deep sense of failure that followed by finding a new purpose during her recovery. Through her own perseverance and the dedicated support of her leadership and the Soldier Recovery Unit, she successfully transitioned to a new career field and earned a prestigious selection to the Sergeants Major Academy.

From Recovery to Readiness

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IACH’s Refractive Surgery Center is encouraging Active-Duty Soldiers to take advantage of a readiness-enhancing capability many still don’t realize they’re eligible for: Army-funded PRK and LASIK right here on post.

No More BCGs

More

TRICARE News and Updates

News
Woman holding a newborn baby in a hospital bed

How to enroll your newborn in TRICARE

News
Three women in pink clothes smile together in a hallway

Learn how TRICARE covers breast cancer screenings

News
"Virtual Urgent Care For TRICARE Prime Beneficiaries, Call the MHS Nurse Advice Line: 1-800-TRICARE;" Service member working on a laptop.

New virtual urgent care option for TRICARE Prime beneficiaries in the US

News
Smiling woman wearing glasses sits at table with potted plant.

Patient advocates, Beneficiary Counseling and Assistance Coordinators, and Debt Collection Assistance Officers: Resources to help you with your TRICARE benefit

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DOD Safe Helpline
Links to 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
DOD Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office
Don’t forget to keep your family’s information up to date in DEERS!