If you have Medicaid, here is how to find a dentist who accepts it
Yes, there are dentists who take Medicaid. Finding them is harder than it should be, because not every dentist participates and the ones who do are not always easy to spot. This page answers the two questions Medicaid members ask most: what does my Medicaid actually pay for at the dentist, and how do I find an office that will take it.
It is written for parents of children on Medicaid or CHIP, for adults with Medicaid coverage of their own, and for anyone helping a family member get to a dentist. Be mindful that some states use different program names for their Medicaid system, such as Medi‑Cal, MassHealth, or SoonerCare. Regardless of the name, these programs all operate under the same federal Medicaid framework and provide similar types of benefits.
- NOTE: Always confirm Medicaid (or your state’s version), and your specific plan, are accepted before the appointment. as well as any treatment recommended. As this will limit the possibility of unforeseen costs.
What Medicaid covers for children
If your child is under 21 and on Medicaid, dental care is covered in every state. This is federal law (website: https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/benefits/dental-care), not something your state gets to opt out of. Coverage must include relief of pain and infection, fixing damaged teeth, and regular checkups and cleanings to keep teeth healthy. It cannot be limited to emergencies only.
And there is a rule many parents never hear about: if a dentist finds a problem during a checkup, Medicaid must pay to treat it if the treatment is medically necessary, even when that treatment is not normally on your state's list. Children covered through CHIP have dental coverage too. The bottom line for parents is simple: your child's cleanings, fillings, and needed dental work are paid for, and the only real task is finding an office that participates, which is covered below.
What Medicaid covers for adults
Adult coverage is a different story, because the federal government lets each state decide what, if anything, to cover for people 21 and over. Some states pay for the full range of care, including cleanings, fillings, root canals, and dentures. Others cover a limited set of services or only emergencies, such as pulling an infected tooth. A few cover almost nothing for adults. There is good news inside that mess: a wave of states offer adult dental benefits and it is worth checking.
The reliable way to find out what your state covers is to go to the source. Look at the member handbook from your Medicaid plan, call the member services number on the back of your Medicaid card, or contact your state Medicaid agency. Any of the three will tell you exactly which dental services your coverage includes right now. If dentures are what you need, coverage for them varies state by state, and there is a separate guide to getting dentures paid for by Medicaid.
The fastest way to find a dentist who takes your plan
Here is the step most people skip, and it is the one that works. In most states, your Medicaid comes through a managed care plan, and that plan keeps a directory of every dentist who has agreed to see its members. That directory is the single best tool you have, because it lists dentists who take your specific plan, not Medicaid in general. Call the member services number on the back of your Medicaid or plan card and ask for dentists in your community who are taking new patients, or use the find-a-provider search on your plan's website. The people on that phone line can also help you if the first few offices you try are full.
When you call a dental office, ask two questions before you book anything: do you accept my specific plan, and are you taking new Medicaid patients right now. Both matter. An office can take one Medicaid plan but not another, and an office that participates can still be full. Provider directories also go out of date, so an office that appears on the list may have stopped participating. A two-minute phone call protects you from showing up to an appointment that turns into a bill.
Finding a dentist for your child
For children, there is a second tool worth knowing, and it is free and run by the federal government. The dentist locator at https://www.insurekidsnow.gov/find-a-dentist lists dentists in your area who see children and accept Medicaid and CHIP. You pick your state and your child's dental plan, enter your zip code, and it shows offices by region. You can filter for offices taking new patients, for dentists who speak your language, and for specialists such as oral surgeons.
Two details on that site are worth repeating here. First, many dentists will see a child once for an emergency even if they are not taking new long-term patients, so if your child is in pain, search without the new-patient filter and say the word emergency when you call. Second, if you cannot find a dentist who speaks your language, you have the right to free interpreter services; tell the office ahead of the appointment. Questions about the tool or about getting a child covered can go to 1-877-543-7669.
Places that almost always take Medicaid
If calling private offices is getting you nowhere, there are places that will almost always say yes. Community health centers receive federal funding to serve people regardless of insurance, and the ones with dental clinics accept Medicaid as a matter of course. You can find the nearest one with the official locator at https://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov. To understand how these clinics work and what to expect at a visit, and to look up clinics in your state and county, use the directory of dental clinics on NHPB.
Dental schools are another dependable option; their supervised student clinics commonly accept Medicaid and charge far less in general, and there is a full guide to them at the dental school clinic page. Some county health departments also run dental clinics that take Medicaid, which the clinic directory above includes where they exist.
Dental chains that accept Medicaid
A few large dental chains make Medicaid a core part of their business, which can mean easier scheduling, evening or weekend hours, and staff who handle Medicaid paperwork every day. Western Dental (website: https://www.westerndental.com/) accepts Medi-Cal, California's Medicaid program, and also accepts Medicaid at its Arizona offices; it operates across those two states.
Familia Dental (website: https://www.familiadental.com/) accepts Medicaid at all of its roughly 35 offices in Illinois, Indiana, New Mexico, Texas, and Wisconsin, and its offices serve patients in English and Spanish. If you live near one of these, they are a reasonable place to start.
Be careful with brand names beyond that, though. Whether a chain office takes Medicaid is decided location by location, and many well-known chains and most private practices do not participate at all. A national name on the door tells you nothing about your local office. That is exactly why the plan directory described above beats searching by brand: it only lists offices that have already agreed to see members of your plan.
If you cannot find anyone, or every office is full
Do not give up after a few full offices; this is a common problem and there are moves left. Call your plan's member services line and tell them directly that you cannot find a dentist taking new patients; helping you get an appointment is part of their job, and they can search beyond what the public directory shows. Community health centers and dental schools, above, are the fallback that keeps working when private offices are full.
And if the problem cannot wait because you are in pain or have swelling, go to the guide for emergency dental care without money rather than waiting weeks for an opening. For every other route to low-cost care beyond Medicaid, see the main free dental care page.
One protection to keep in mind at any office: confirm the office accepts your plan before treatment starts, because a patient treated outside the plan can be billed as if they had no coverage at all. And you always have the right to ask what a recommended treatment is for, what it costs, and to get a second opinion before agreeing to work beyond what you came in for.
Community forum - what people on Medicaid say about dental coverage
Real people facing similar needs around dental, and that are on Medicaid, share what's worked and what they need. Use the moderated NHPB community forum on dental options while on Medicaid to get real-time tips or to ask questions.
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