Original Medicare covers no routine dental care. Most Advantage plans include cleanings and $1,000 – $1,500 caps; Medigap offers any-dentist freedom but zero dental help. Add stand-alone coverage or pay out of pocket.
Because your bicuspids deserve better than "not covered."
Medicare Dental Basics • MA Dental Perks • Medicare Supplement & Dental • Stand-Alone Plans • MA vs. Medicare Supplement • FAQ • Dental Decision Help
If you're new to Medicare, we won't sugarcoat it: Medicare is kind of a letdown when it comes to dental care.
You're turning 65, start figuring out coverage, and realize: wait—no cleanings? No fillings? No root canals? Not even dentures? It's like Medicare assumes you'll stop needing teeth after retirement.
Here's the deal: Original Medicare (Parts A & B) doesn't cover routine dental. At all. But some Medicare Advantage plans do. And if you're considering a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plan instead, well...dental's not in that package either. So, what gives?
Let's break it down: what your options really are, what to watch out for, and how to pick what's the right plan for your smile (and wallet).
Here's the kicker: Original Medicare (Parts A & B) doesn't cover routine dental care. Not even a little. Not even for birthdays.
You read that right—no exams, no cleanings, no X-rays, no filling, no root canals, no dentures. If it's not tied to a medical emergency (like if you break your jaw and they happen to peek at your molars while they're in there), Medicare says, "Good luck with that."
Why? Well, when Medicare was created back in 1955, dental care was considered non-essential. (Apparently gum disease hadn't been invented yet.) And while medical science has moved forward and now clearly links oral health to overall health, federal coverage hasn't quite caught up with the times.
That's where private plans step in to try and fill that cavity (pun intended)—or at least try to.
Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans are offered by private insurers and include everything Original Medicare covers—plus extras like dental, vision, hearing, and even gym memberships.
Most MA plans include dental benefits, but what you get depends on the plan.
Expect something like this:
Sounds good—until you realize one crown can cost $1,500. That annual limit disappears fast.
Also, many MA plans are HMOs or PPOs, meaning you'll need to stick to in-network dentists. That can be tricky if you live in a rural area, travel often, or have a preferred dentist who's not in-network.
The Pros 👍
The Cons 👎
Medicare Supplement (aka Medigap) plans are add-on to Original Medicare. They help cover out-of-pocket costs like deductibles and coinsurance. But here's the rub: they don't include dental. Yup, if you want dental, you'll need to buy a separate dental plan or pay out of pocket.
But again: no dental.
Pair Medicare Supplement plans with a separate dental policy or discount plan: pay a $30–$60 monthly premium (or $100–$200 yearly fee) for preventive coverage and reduced rates or use self-pay dentist membership discounts.
Going the Medicare Supplement route gives you control and freedom—but you need to build your own safety net.
Here’s a side-by-side snapshot of how Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement handle routine cleanings, pricey crowns, and dentist choice—plus what happens if you go it alone. Use it as a quick gut-check before you start comparing plans.
| Plan type | Preventive care | Major work cap | Dentist network | Flexibility |
| Medicare Advantage | Cleanings, exams, X-rays usually 100% | ~$1,000 - ~$1,500 per year (varies by plan) | HMO or PPO: must stay in-network for best prices | Moderate: bundled but network limits and annual benefit |
| Medicare Supplement (+ stand-alone dental) | None built in; buy separate dental plan for 100% preventive | Stand-alone plan cap ~$1,000 - ~$1,500 or pay cash | Any dentist who accepts Medicare (for medical) + dental plan's network for teeth | High: nationwide provider choice, but you manage an extra policy and costs |
| Skip coverage/pay cash | Full price (~$100 cleaning) | No cap, pay retail ($2k root canal + crown) | Any dentist | Highest: total freedom, highest financial risk |
Strictly speaking, Medicare Advantage wins in the dental department. You’re more likely to get basic and even some major services covered. But caps and network rules can still make big procedures costly.
That said, dental should be just one factor in your Medicare decision. Ask yourself:
When it’s time to enroll in a Medicare plan for the first time, these answers will help guide the right choice for you.
New to Medicare and thinking of skipping dental altogether? Totally understandable. Budgets might be tight.
But poor oral health can get expensive fast, not just financially, but medically. Research links gum disease to heart problems, diabetes, and even cognitive decline. And emergency dental work? It’ll cost you.
So that $30/mo stand-alone dental plan? Might actually be a bargain in the long run.
What to do next: Your dental + Medicare game plan
1. Compare local Medicare Advantage plans: Focus on dental benefits and annual caps.
2. Check provider networks: Is your dentist included?
3. Considering Medicare Supplement? Research stand-alone dental plans.
4. Evaluate your oral health history: If you've needed work before, plan accordingly.
5. Talk to your dentist: A licensed professional can provide guidance in finding out the best kind of program and discount for you.
No. Parts A & B cover dental services only when they are part of a covered medical procedure—never routine cleanings, fillings, or dentures.
Most MA plans pay 100% for preventive cleanings and exams, 50–80% for basic work, and cap major work at about $1,000–$1,500 a year—amounts and networks vary by carrier.
No. Medicare Supplement only fills Original Medicare cost gaps. Because routine dental isn’t covered by Medicare, Medicare Supplement plans pay nothing toward exams, fillings, or dentures.
If you need more than the occasional cleaning, a $30–$60 monthly stand-alone plan can save money versus paying the full cost of crowns or implants out-of-pocket.
Routine cleanings will run about $100 each; a root canal plus crown can exceed $2,000. Without coverage or a discount plan, you pay retail prices for every procedure.
When you’re turning 65 or close to retiring, picking the right Medicare plan is a lot like choosing a toothbrush. What works for someone else might not work for you. Some people want the electric one with all the bells and whistles. Others just need something that gets the job done.
So whether you go with Medicare Advantage and bundled benefits or opt for a Supplement plan and build your own coverage menu à la carte, the key is to understand what you're signing up for, and what you're not.
Because while Medicare might not care about your molars, you should.
And hey—if you ever need someone to explain Medicare dental coverage again (with a little less dental floss and a little more clarity), ALEX® has your back.
Let ALEX do the drilling (into the details, not your molars) and show you the plan that keeps both your smile and your wallet intact.
Bite into better coverage with ALEX
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