Does Medicare cover dental care?
Original Medicare, meaning Part A and Part B, generally does not cover routine dental care: the cleanings, exams, fillings and dentures most people need. There are narrow exceptions tied to certain medical treatment, but they do not stretch to a check-up or a new denture.
So if Original Medicare is your only coverage, plan on paying for routine dental care some other way. The usual routes are a Medicare Advantage plan with dental benefits, a separate dental policy, or a membership plan, and each is covered below.
Do Medicare Advantage plans cover dental?
Medicare Advantage plans, sometimes called Part C, are offered by private companies approved by Medicare. Many of them include dental benefits that Original Medicare does not have.
Those benefits vary a great deal. Some plans cover little beyond cleanings, exams and X-rays, while others also help with fillings, extractions or dentures. Many set a yearly limit on what they will pay, and many work through a network of dentists and pay less outside it.
Two neighbors in Giles County with cards from the same insurance company can have very different dental coverage. The only reliable answer comes from your own plan.
Do you take Medicare Advantage dental plans?
We work with many of the newer Medicare Advantage dental benefits. Because plans differ so much, the reliable way to know is to call 540-921-3323 with your card before you book, and we will check yours.
Have these ready when you call:
- The name of the plan and the insurance company.
- The member ID and any group number on the card.
- The member's name and date of birth.
- Any separate dental card. Some plans run their dental benefits through a different company, with a card of its own.
Choosing or changing a Medicare plan?
If you are comparing Medicare Advantage plans, look at the dental benefits in each one, not only the headline: what it covers, how much it will pay in a year, and which dentists it works with. The plan can tell you which dentists are in its network, and you are welcome to call and ask whether we work with a plan you are considering.
Retiring from a job that came with dental insurance? Find out when that coverage ends, because Original Medicare will not take its place.
A separate dental policy bought alongside Medicare works like any other dental insurance. How dental insurance works explains the deductibles, annual maximums and waiting periods to look for, and our insurance page lists the plans we participate with.
What if you have no dental coverage?
If Original Medicare is your only coverage, routine dental care is generally not covered, and the Virginia Dental Club is worth a look. It is a membership plan for people without dental insurance, and it is not insurance: there is no deductible, no annual maximum and no waiting period.
Whatever your coverage, you get a written estimate before any treatment beyond a check-up, so you know the cost before you decide. Nothing is started on the day you first hear about it, unless you are in pain and want it taken care of.
Dental care as the years go on
Teeth and gums need looking after at every age, and a few things deserve extra attention later in life:
- Dentures that have gone loose as the gums change. A loose denture can often be relined here, and the page on dentures explains when a new one is the better answer.
- A dry mouth, which many medicines cause. Saliva protects the teeth, so tell us about every medicine you take, including ones that seem to have nothing to do with teeth.
- Older fillings and crowns, which tend to wear at the edges before they fail. They are checked at every exam.
- An oral cancer screening, which is part of every exam here, with or without natural teeth.
Questions patients ask
Do you take Medicare?
Original Medicare generally does not cover routine dental care, so for most dental visits the question is whether you have a Medicare Advantage plan with dental benefits. We work with many of the newer Medicare Advantage dental benefits. Call with your plan card and we will check yours before you book.
Does Medicare pay for dentures?
Original Medicare generally does not. Some Medicare Advantage plans include dental benefits that help with dentures, often with limits on how much they pay and how often. Call with your card and we will check what your plan covers here.
Does a Medicare supplement plan cover dental care?
Generally not. A supplement, sometimes called Medigap, helps with costs that Original Medicare leaves behind, and routine dental care is not one of them. If you bought a separate dental policy, bring that card instead.
What should I bring to my first appointment?
Your Medicare Advantage card and any separate dental card, a photo ID, and a list of the medicines you take. The medicine list matters: blood thinners, bone-strengthening medicines and some diabetes medicines all change how treatment is planned.
Can I be seen if I have no dental coverage?
Yes. You get a written estimate before any treatment. The Virginia Dental Club is a membership plan for people without dental insurance, and because it is not insurance, it has no deductible, no annual maximum and no waiting period.