What Original Medicare covers
Medicare.gov says that in most cases Medicare doesn't cover routine cleanings, fillings, tooth extractions, dentures or implants. It may cover dental care that's linked to the success of a covered medical treatment, for example:
- Some dental services you get when you're admitted to the hospital as an inpatient, because of your medical condition or the severity of the procedure.
- An oral exam and dental treatment before a heart valve replacement, or before a bone marrow, organ or kidney transplant.
- A tooth extraction to treat a mouth infection before cancer treatment such as chemotherapy, and treatment for complications of head and neck cancer treatment.
- Exams and treatment to remove an oral infection before and during Medicare-covered dialysis for end-stage renal disease.
In those cases your usual Part A or Part B costs apply. For routine care, the choices are a separate dental policy, which works alongside any Medicare coverage (compare premiums, waiting periods and yearly maximums), a Medicare Advantage plan, or Florida Medicaid if you qualify.
Medicare Advantage
Medicare Advantage plans may offer extra benefits such as dental, vision, hearing or fitness. Extra benefits vary by plan and county, may have limits and costs, and not every plan offers them. Check a plan's Summary of Benefits or Evidence of Coverage.
CMS lists 297 Medicare Advantage plans open to everyone somewhere in Florida for 2027, but each county has its own list, from 7 in Monroe County to 52 in Hillsborough County. If your plan is ending in 2027, see Florida plans ending in 2027.
Florida Medicaid dental for people with Medicare
If you have Medicare and full Florida Medicaid, Florida Medicaid pays for some dental care. Florida law (s. 409.973(5), Florida Statutes) has the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) run a statewide Medicaid prepaid dental program for children and adults, separate from Medicaid's medical plans. For adults 21 and older, AHCA lists these covered services:
- Emergency dental procedures to relieve pain or infection, such as draining an abscess, with the exams and X-rays needed to diagnose the problem.
- Full and partial dentures and denture-related procedures.
Medicaid dental plans can add extra services that AHCA approves, so ask your dental plan what it covers. A Medicare Savings Program alone (QMB, SLMB or QI-1) pays Medicare premiums and cost sharing, not dental care. To apply for Florida Medicaid, use ACCESS Florida online through the Department of Children and Families (DCF), or call DCF at (850) 300-4323. See Florida Medicaid and Medicare.
Get help
A licensed insurance agent who works with Benefits Life can walk you through dental options with Medicare and compare plans from the companies they work with, at no cost to you. You can request a call from a licensed insurance agent, or see plans for your ZIP code. For what Medicare covers overall, see Medicare basics.
Related questions
Does Medicare cover nursing home care in Florida?
Short skilled stays yes, long-term care no.
How do I get rides to the doctor with Medicare in Florida?
Ambulance rules, Medicaid rides and county programs.
Does Medicare cover me in Cuba, Latin America or the Caribbean?
What happens to your coverage abroad.
Sources
- Medicare.gov — Dental services
- Florida Agency for Health Care Administration — Dental Services (Florida Medicaid covered services)
- Florida Statutes — s. 409.973, Benefits (prepaid dental program)
- Florida Agency for Health Care Administration — Statewide Medicaid Managed Care
- Florida Department of Children and Families — Public Assistance (ACCESS Florida)
- CMS — CY2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape files
More questions in this guide
- Does Medicare cover assisted living in Florida?
- Does Medicare cover me if I travel to Cuba, Latin America or the Caribbean?
- Does Medicare cover home health care in Florida?
- Does Medicare cover nursing home care in Florida?
- How do I get rides to the doctor with Medicare in Florida?
Part of the guide: Medicare basics for Floridians · All questions
Frequently asked questions
Does Medigap cover dental in Florida?
No. Medigap policies help pay costs for services Original Medicare covers. Because Original Medicare doesn't cover routine dental care, Medigap doesn't either.
Does Florida Medicaid cover dental for adults with Medicare?
Partly. For people 21 and older, Florida Medicaid covers emergency dental care to relieve pain or infection, plus dentures and denture-related care. Help from a Medicare Savings Program alone (QMB, SLMB or QI-1) pays Medicare costs only and doesn't include dental care.
How do I get Florida Medicaid dental care?
Florida Medicaid provides dental care through its statewide Medicaid dental plans, which are separate from its medical plans. If you have full Medicaid, you get your dental care through the dental plan you're enrolled in.
Medicare in your Florida county
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