Medicare's own pages are blunt. Medicare.gov says that in most cases Medicare does not cover dental services such as routine cleanings, fillings and tooth removals, or items such as dentures and implants. CMS explains the reason: by law Medicare does not pay for the care, treatment, filling, removal or replacement of teeth or the structures directly supporting them. The exceptions are narrow. Medicare may pay for certain hospital inpatient dental services, and for dental services that are inextricably linked to a covered medical treatment, such as an oral exam and treatment of infection before a heart valve replacement, an organ or bone marrow transplant, chemotherapy or dialysis. Some Medicare Advantage plans add routine dental as a benefit. Check your Medicare Advantage plan's own evidence of coverage for dental, since those plans set their own limits and network rules.
Before you book: verify what medicare covers for dental care
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Ask the treating physician whether the dental work is linked to a covered procedure
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Ask the dental office which codes it will bill
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Check Medicare.gov for the current rules before you schedule
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Read your Medicare Advantage evidence of coverage, if you have one
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Get any coverage decision in writing
The rule
What Medicare excludes, and why
CMS says that under Section 1862(a)(12) of the Social Security Act, Medicare does not pay for items and services connected with the care, treatment, filling, removal or replacement of teeth or the structures directly supporting them. It defines those structures as the periodontium, which includes the gums, the connection between gum and tooth, the periodontal membrane, the cementum and the alveolar bone with the tooth sockets. Routine dental care, removal of an impacted tooth, and dental work done to prepare the mouth for dentures are all listed as not covered. Medicare.gov puts the outcome plainly: you pay all costs for non-covered services, including most dental services.
The exclusion is defined by what a service treats, not by who performs it. A service on the teeth or their supporting structures falls inside it unless an exception applies.
Not covered
Examples CMS and Medicare.gov give of services not covered
| Factor | Detail |
|---|---|
| Routine care | Cleanings, fillings and routine exams, which CMS lists as routine dental care. |
| Tooth removal | Medicare.gov names tooth extractions. CMS specifically lists extraction of an impacted tooth. |
| Dentures and implants | Medicare.gov says Medicare in most cases does not cover dentures and implants. |
| Denture preparation | CMS lists dental services performed in connection with excluded services, such as preparing the mouth for dentures. Its examples are alveoplasty, dental ridge reconstruction, frenectomy and removing the bony growth on the roof of the mouth called a torus palatinus. |
| Related services | CMS also lists dental services related to other non-covered services. |
These are examples. The CMS page says they include, but are not limited to, the services it names.
Covered in specific situations
When dental care is linked to a covered medical service
| Factor | Detail |
|---|---|
| Heart valve replacement | Medicare.gov lists an oral exam and dental treatment before a heart valve replacement. CMS lists dental exams and treatment to eliminate an oral or dental infection before or during heart valve surgery and valvuloplasty procedures. |
| Transplants | An oral exam and dental treatment before a bone marrow, organ or kidney transplant. |
| Chemotherapy and similar treatment | Medicare.gov gives a tooth extraction to treat a mouth infection before chemotherapy as an example. CMS also lists CAR T-cell therapy and high-dose bone-modifying agents used to treat cancer. |
| Head and neck cancer | Exams before treatment, treatment of infection and services to address complications after Medicare-covered treatment with radiation, chemotherapy, surgery or a combination. |
| Dialysis | Dental or oral exams before and during dialysis for end-stage renal disease, and treatment to remove an oral or dental infection. |
| Jaw and tumor surgery | CMS lists ridge reconstruction done at the same time as tumor removal, services to stabilize teeth when treating a jaw fracture and dental splints used as part of covered treatment of a condition such as a dislocated jaw joint. |
| Hospital inpatient dental services | Medicare may pay for some dental services when you are admitted to a hospital, because of your underlying medical condition or the severity of the procedure. |
In these cases the dental service must be tied to the success of the covered medical treatment. CMS says related services such as anesthesia, X-rays and operating room use can also be paid.
What you pay
How costs work when Medicare does cover a dental service
Medicare.gov says you pay all costs for non-covered services. For a Part A hospital stay, the amounts you owe depend on how long you are in care and change each year. For Part B services, you pay a share of the Medicare-approved amount after you meet the Part B deductible, and if the service is in an outpatient hospital or another facility you also pay a copayment to the facility. Medicare.gov advises asking your doctor or provider what a test, item or service will cost and whether Medicare covers it, since a recommended service may not be covered or may be offered more often than Medicare pays for.
Amounts change every year. Check Medicare.gov for the current figures.
Other routes
If Original Medicare does not pay
| Factor | Detail |
|---|---|
| Medicare Advantage | CMS says some Medicare Advantage plans may cover and pay for routine and other dental services as an added benefit. Patients can check with their plan to find out what it covers. |
| Medicaid | CMS says some states may cover routine and other dental services for people eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. Check with your state Medicaid agency. |
| Stand-alone dental insurance | A separate plan with its own waiting periods, annual maximum and exclusions. See our guides to types of dental insurance and what dental insurance covers. |
| Dental schools and health centers | Reduced-cost care is available through some dental school clinics and community health centers. See the low-cost dental care guide. |
Before you assume
How to check your own case
- Ask the treating physician whether the dental work is linked to a Medicare-covered procedure, and whether they will document that link
- Ask the dental office which procedure codes it will bill and whether it accepts Medicare for the service
- Call Medicare or check Medicare.gov for the current rules before you schedule
- If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, read this year's evidence of coverage for its dental benefit, its annual limit and its network
- Get any coverage decision in writing, and keep the medical and dental records together
Questions people ask
Common questions
01Does Medicare cover tooth extractions?
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Usually not. Medicare.gov names tooth extractions among the services Medicare does not cover in most cases, and CMS lists extraction of an impacted tooth as not covered. An extraction to treat a mouth infection before a covered treatment such as chemotherapy is an example Medicare.gov gives of a covered case. Ask your provider and Medicare before you schedule.
02Does Medicare cover dentures or implants?
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In most cases, no. Medicare.gov says Medicare does not cover items such as dentures and implants, and CMS lists preparing the mouth for dentures, such as alveoplasty and ridge reconstruction, as not covered. Some Medicare Advantage plans offer dental benefits, so check your plan's terms and any annual limit.
03Does Medicare cover dental work before heart surgery?
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It can. Medicare.gov lists an oral exam and dental treatment before a heart valve replacement, and CMS lists dental exams and treatment to eliminate an oral or dental infection before or during heart valve replacement and valvuloplasty procedures. The dental service must be linked to the success of the covered surgery. Your physician can help document that link.
04Does Medicare cover dental care before a transplant or chemotherapy?
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It can. Medicare.gov lists an oral exam and dental treatment before a bone marrow, organ or kidney transplant, and a procedure such as a tooth extraction to treat a mouth infection before chemotherapy. CMS adds CAR T-cell therapy and high-dose bone-modifying agents used for cancer. Ask the treating team and confirm with Medicare.
05Does Medicare cover dental care for head and neck cancer?
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Partly. CMS lists dental or oral exams before, treatment of infection before or during, and services to address dental or oral complications after Medicare-covered treatment of head and neck cancer with radiation, chemotherapy, surgery or a combination. Medicare.gov also lists treatment for a complication during that treatment. Check the details with your care team and Medicare.
06Does Medicare cover dental exams for dialysis patients?
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In specific cases, yes. Both CMS and Medicare.gov list dental or oral exams before and while getting Medicare-covered dialysis for end-stage renal disease, and medically necessary tests and treatment to remove an oral or dental infection at those times. Ask your dialysis team and confirm with Medicare how the services are billed.
07Does Medicare pay for a broken jaw or a jaw joint splint?
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CMS lists services to stabilize or immobilize teeth related to reducing a jaw fracture, and dental splints only when used as part of covered treatment of a covered medical condition such as dislocated jaw joints. Whether a specific service counts depends on the medical treatment it supports. Confirm with your provider and Medicare.
08Does Medicare cover dental care in a hospital?
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Sometimes. CMS and Medicare.gov say Medicare may pay for certain hospital inpatient dental services when you require hospitalization because of your underlying medical condition and clinical status, or the severity of the dental procedure. This is about the hospital stay, and it does not mean routine dental care becomes covered. Ask before you assume.
09Do Medicare Advantage plans cover dental?
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Some do. CMS says some Medicare Advantage plans may cover and pay for routine and other dental services as an added benefit, and that patients can check with their plan. What is covered, any annual limit and the network vary by plan and by year, so read your evidence of coverage.
10What do I pay if Medicare covers a dental service?
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For a Part B service, Medicare.gov says you pay a share of the Medicare-approved amount after the Part B deductible, plus a facility copayment if it is done in an outpatient hospital or other facility. Part A stays depend on the length of your stay. Amounts change yearly, so check Medicare.gov for the current figures.
11Is removal of an impacted tooth covered by Medicare?
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CMS lists extraction of an impacted tooth as a non-covered dental service. Medicare.gov says tooth extractions are generally not covered, apart from cases such as treating a mouth infection before a covered treatment. Ask the surgeon and Medicare whether your circumstances fall under an exception, and get the answer in writing.
12Where can I check the current Medicare rules?
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Use Medicare.gov's dental service coverage page and CMS's Medicare dental coverage page, or call Medicare. Rules are revised over time, and amounts change each year. Ask your treating physician to document any link between the dental service and a covered medical treatment.
Related glossary terms
Sources
- Medicare Dental CoverageCenters for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesAccessed 2026-08-17
- Dental service coverageMedicare.govAccessed 2026-09-24