A friend woke up in the AM with bad tooth pain today at an AD base where the base clinic (including dental) is closed today so they can be extremism-trained. The Tricare "nurse advice line" suggested going to an ER since dental work isn't covered unless referred to by a mil dentist. I wonder if that's true.

It's probably a root canal situation. Can you show up to any dentist and be covered?

A friend woke up in the AM with bad tooth pain today at an AD base where the base clinic (including dental) is closed today so they can be extremism-trained. The Tricare "nurse advice line" suggested going to an ER since dental work isn't covered unless referred to by a mil dentist. I wonder if that's true.
It's probably a root canal situation. Can you show up to any dentist and be covered?

I'm pretty sure what the nurse advice hotline said was right.

Could also try calling United Concordia to confirm.
https://www.tricare.mil/CoveredServices/Dental/ADDental/ADDP

But the ER visit should generate the need/referral for emergency dental that you'd normally get from base dental to go off base.