Does Medicare cover dental care?

Most Medicare Advantage plans also annually cap dental coverage, averaging $1,300 in 2021; 8 percent of MA members were in a plan with a cap of $2,000 to $5,000 during that time, according to the KFF study.

With such a wide range of coverage levels to choose from, it’s important to research each plan’s dental coverage too when choosing a Medicare Advantage plan for your other medications, doctors and health care needs.

To find out more about plans with dental coverage in your area, go to the Medicare Plan Finder and key in your zip code, select Medicare Advantage and answer a few questions.

You’ll see a list of all Medicare Advantage plans in your area, with a green check mark noting ✓ Dental in the Plan Benefits list. You can narrow the list by clicking on Filter by: Plan Benefits, checking the box ☐ beside Dental coverage and clicking Apply.

For more information about the plan’s dental coverage, click Plan Details and scroll down to Extra Benefits. If a plan has copayments or coverage limits, you’ll see those listed in the Dental section. 

You may be required to use an in-network provider and get prior authorization for some dental services. 

You can visit a plan’s website or contact the plan directly for more information. Click on the link by the plan name in the Plan Finder to go to the plan’s website, where you can review plan documents including its summary of benefits and evidence of coverage, which go into more detail.

What are other ways to get help paying for dental care?

Other sources also can help you pay for dental care:  

• Standalone dental insurance policies. Premiums, copayments, covered services and annual coverage maximums vary a lot from plan to plan. These may require you to use an in-network dentist and wait for a predetermined time before the plan will cover more expensive procedures. 

• Dental discount programs. Some programs charge an up-front annual fee in return for discounts on dental services, which can range from 30 percent to 40 percent off on cleanings, crowns, exams and fillings. But they also require you to use certain dentists. 

• Extra coverage from Medigap. While standard Medigap policies don’t provide dental coverage, some Medigap insurers allow you to tack on dental coverage to your policy for an extra premium. This often entails membership in a dental discount program, packaging dental coverage with hearing and vision benefits. 

• Medicaid. The joint federal-state program that helps cover medical expenses for people with low incomes covers dental services for people with Medicaid under age 21. However, fewer than half of the states provide care beyond emergency dental services for adults. Contact your state Medicaid office for details. 

• Veterans benefits. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs provides dental care benefits to veterans who qualify. The type and amount of dental care you can receive is based on your service-connected disability rating, your service history and other factors. See the VA’s dental care page for more information.  

Keep in mind

You can withdraw money tax-free from a health savings account to pay out-of-pocket dental expenses. You can’t contribute to an HSA after you enroll in Medicare, but you can use money you’ve already saved in the account for eligible medical expenses at any age, including dental expenses not covered by insurance.  ​

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