How do you get dental insurance under Medicare?

To get dental insurance, Medicare participants must enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan that includes dental coverage. Traditional Medicare Parts A and B exclude dental services unless they are a crucial part of a covered procedure.

Medicare Advantage Plans, also known as Medicare Part C, are coverage options offered by private companies that must include all the services traditional Medicare Parts A and B offer, apart from hospice care, which traditional Medicare covers. Additionally, many Medicare Advantage Plans offer extra coverage such as hearing, vision, health and welfare programs, and dental. To find a Medicare Advantage Plan in your area that includes dental coverage, go to the main page of the Medicare website, click on Forms, Help & Resources in the toolbar at the top of the page, select Find Health & Drug Plans, enter your zip code, and click Find Plans. Under Summary of Your Search Results, select Medicare Health Plans With Drug Coverage or Medicare Health Plans Without Drug Coverage. A special symbol marks all listed plans that include dental insurance.

Traditional Medicare only covers dental work that is part of a procedure such as repairing a jaw after an accident or extracting teeth as a prelude to radiation treatment. Additionally, Medicare Part A covers inpatient hospital care during complex or emergency dental work, but it does not cover the dental services.