Does Medicare Cover Dental?

Original Medicare does not pay for most dental care, like cleanings and fillings. It does pay for some dental work when a medical treatment depends on it, like a transplant or heart valve surgery. If a tooth hurts or a denture no longer fits, Medicaid, some Medicare Advantage plans or a low-cost clinic may help.

Medicare pays for dental care if

• The dental work is needed for a covered treatment to work. Your doctor and dentist share notes about it. The table below lists these treatments.
• You must stay in the hospital for a dental procedure because of your health or how serious the procedure is. Medicare may pay for the hospital part.
• You have a broken jaw, or surgery to remove a tumor, and the dental work is part of that care.

Not sure Medicare will pay? Ask anyway, because your doctor and dentist can check before the work starts. If you would rather have help, a Pair Team advocate can check with you in one call.

Which dental care does Medicare cover?

The $283 is the 2026 deductible for Part B, the part of Medicare that pays for doctor visits. The $1,736 is the 2026 deductible for hospital insurance (Part A). If you get the care at a hospital clinic, you also pay the clinic a copay, Medicare.gov says.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the federal agency that runs Medicare, added no new cases for 2026.

Does Medicare Advantage cover dental?

Most Medicare Advantage plans cover some dental care. In 2026, 98% of people in individual plans are in one that offers it, KFF found. That can mean cleanings and X-rays only, or more, like crowns or dentures. Many plans cap what they pay each year, use a list of dentists, or need approval first.

Medicare Advantage is a private plan you can choose instead of Original Medicare. You can compare plans each fall during Open Enrollment, October 15 to December 7. A new plan starts January 1. Use Medicare's Plan Finder at medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). You can also get free help from your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) at 1-877-839-2675. See Medicare Open Enrollment.

A Medigap plan will not fill this gap, because Medigap plans generally do not cover dental care, Medicare.gov says. The low-cost care below can help.

Where can I get low-cost dental care?

• Dental schools: Students treat patients at a lower cost while licensed dentists watch over them, the National Institutes of Health says. Dental hygiene schools may offer low-cost cleanings.
• Community health centers: You pay what you can afford, based on your income. Find one at findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov.
• Medicaid. Each state chooses whether to cover dental care for adults. Most cover only some care, but some cover a lot.
• PACE. This is the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). It is for people 55 and older who need nursing home level care but live at home. Medicare.gov lists dentistry among what PACE may cover.

Some local hospitals also run dental clinics. Or call 211 to find low-cost care near you.

What to do

1. Check what you have now. Call the number on your plan card. Ask what dental care it pays for and its yearly limit. If you have Medicaid, ask your state Medicaid office.
2. Facing heart valve surgery, a transplant, cancer treatment or dialysis? Ask your doctor if you need a dental exam first, and ask for a referral. Medicare needs your doctor and dentist to share notes.
3. Ask the dentist if they're enrolled in Medicare. Only enrolled dentists can bill Medicare, CMS says.
4. Ask what it will cost before the work starts. Your dentist may suggest care Medicare doesn't cover.
5. If Medicare says no, you can appeal. See how to appeal a Medicare denial.

What a Pair Team advocate does

When someone calls us about a tooth, there's often more going on. There may be no dentist nearby who takes their coverage, no ride, or a bill for work already done. This is what we do:

• Find out what dental care you have through Medicare Advantage or Medicaid, in one phone call.
• Find a dentist, dental school or health center that takes your coverage, and book the visit.
• Set up a ride to the appointment.
• Help you apply for Medicaid if you may qualify. Help with what usually comes with it: food, utilities and housing.

An advocate is covered by Medicare if you qualify. It takes two minutes to find out.

Check if you qualify for a Pair Team advocate

Frequently asked questions

Does Medicare cover dentures?

Original Medicare and Medigap do not pay for dentures, but some Medicare Advantage plans and state Medicaid programs do.

Does Medicare pay to have a tooth pulled?

Medicare usually does not pay to have a tooth pulled. It may pay to pull one to treat a mouth infection before cancer treatment, like chemotherapy, Medicare.gov says. Otherwise, you pay, but the low-cost care above can help.

Does Medicare cover dental implants?

In most cases, Medicare does not cover dental implants or dentures, Medicare.gov says. If you look at a Medicare Advantage plan, ask whether it pays for implants, and how much each year.

Will Medicare pay if I need dental work in the hospital?

Medicare may pay for the hospital stay if your health means you must be admitted. The dental work itself is covered only when a covered treatment depends on it, so ask your doctor.

Is dental care covered if I have Medicare and Medicaid?

What you get depends on your state, so ask your Medicaid office. Medicare still won't pay for routine care, but your state's Medicaid may. California and New York both cover dental care for adults.

Find the rules for your state

• California: Medicaid dental care pays for cleanings, fillings, root canals, crowns and dentures. It pays up to $1,800 a year before extra approval is needed.
• New York: Medicaid covers root canals, crowns, replacement dentures and implants when medically needed. These rules started January 31, 2024.
• Nevada: since July 1, 2026, Medicaid pays up to $1,000 a year for an adult's checkups, cleanings, fillings and crowns.

Everywhere else, call your state Medicaid office, or your SHIP at 1-877-839-2675 (shiphelp.org) for free help.

Sources

• Dental services, Medicare.gov
• Medicare Dental Coverage, CMS
• Calendar Year (CY) 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule, CMS
• Calendar Year (CY) 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule, CMS
• 2026 Medicare Parts A and B Premiums and Deductibles, CMS
• Learn what Medigap covers, Medicare.gov
• Joining a plan, Medicare.gov
• PACE, Medicare.gov
• Finding Dental Care, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
• Find a Health Center, Health Resources and Services Administration
• Medicare Advantage in 2026: Premiums, Out-of-Pocket Limits, Supplemental Benefits, and Prior Authorization, KFF
• Medicare Will Not Expand on Dental Payment Examples in 2026, Center for Medicare Advocacy
• Resources if you need dental coverage, Medicare Interactive
• State Health Insurance Assistance Programs