Dental services
You pay all costs in most cases
Coverage details
In most cases, Medicare doesn't cover dental services like routine cleanings, fillings, tooth extractions (removals), or items like dentures and implants.
Medicare may cover:
- Some dental services you get when you're admitted as a hospital inpatient for your dental procedure, either because of your underlying medical condition or the severity of the procedure.
- Specific inpatient or outpatient dental services directly related to certain covered medical treatments. In these cases, you must get the dental service because it’s linked to the success of the medical treatment you need, like:
- An oral exam and dental treatment before you get a heart valve replacement or a bone marrow, organ, or kidney transplant.
- A procedure (like a tooth extraction) to treat a mouth infection before you get cancer treatment services like chemotherapy.
- Treatment for a complication you experience while getting head and neck cancer treatment services.
- Dental or oral exams before and while getting Medicare-covered dialysis services (if you have End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) ).
- Medically necessary tests and treatments to remove an oral or dental infection before and while getting Medicare-covered dialysis services (if you have ESRD).
Costs
- You pay all costs for non-covered services, including most dental services.
- For Part A-covered inpatient hospital stays, what you pay for each
benefit period
in 2026 depends on how long you're getting care:
- Days 1-60: After you pay the Part A deductible ($1,736), you pay $0 each day.
- Days 61–90: You pay $434 each day.
- Days 91-150: You pay $868 each day while using your 60 lifetime reserve days . These are additional days that Medicare will pay for when you're in a hospital for more than 90 days. You have a total of 60 reserve days that can be used once during your lifetime.
- After Day 150: You pay all costs.
- For Part B-covered dental services, you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount after you meet the Part B deductible. If you get the covered service in an outpatient hospital or other facility setting, you’ll also pay a copayment to the facility.
Ask your doctor or healthcare provider how much your test, item, or service will cost.
Your doctor may recommend services that Medicare does not cover or offers too frequently. This could end up in additional costs for you. Make sure to ask your doctor about the reasons for these recommendations and what Medicare will actually cover.
Specific amounts you could owe depend on:
Other insurance you may have
How much your doctor charges
If your doctor accepts assignment
The type of facility
Where you get your test, item, or service