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Medi-Cal Dental Coverage

Understanding Medi-Cal Dental Coverage

Your smile is one of your greatest assets. Many health problems can start in our mouths, that's why Medi-Cal dental coverage is so vital to California residents. Medi-Cal is the name for the California Medi-Cal Assistance Program, the regions Medicaid program. Medi-Cal provides health and medical dental insurance coverage for qualified families and individuals in California.

Yes, Medi-Cal covers a wide range of dental services through their Medi-Cal Dental Program. This benefit is included with your Medi-Cal coverage at little to no cost to you. To access Medi-Cal's dental services, you can visit a Medi-Cal dental provider. They will let you know what the best form of treatment is under your Medi-Cal dental coverage. If you have any questions or need help finding a Medi-Cal dental provider, call the Medi-Cal Dental Customer Service Line at 1-800-322-6384, or visit www.smilecalifornia.org.

Medi-Cal dental coverage includes the following:

  • Diagnostic and preventive dental hygiene (e.g., examinations, x-rays, and teeth cleanings)
  • Emergency services for pain control
  • Tooth extractions
  • Fillings
  • Root canal treatments (anterior/posterior)
  • Crowns (prefabricated/laboratory)
  • Scaling and root planing
  • Periodontal maintenance
  • Complete and partial dentures; and
  • Orthodontics for kids who qualify

Yes, Medi-Cal dental will cover both anterior and posterior root canals.

Orthodontics are only covered for kids who qualify for this type of specialist treatment under Medi-Cal's dental services.

It is a fact that your mouth can give a clear sign of your overall health. This is because dental health and hygiene link to other areas of the body, including the heart. It is vital to visit the dentist on a regular basis, to make sure your oral health is not causing you any problems. That said, dental work can be costly. Even more costly as we get older, and our teeth and gums start to weaken. Medi-Cal dental helps all Medi-Cal members save money on preventative and restorative dental work.

 

Here are some reasons why dental health insurance is so important:

 

  • Insurance pays for expensive dental care.
    • For some people, dental care means two visits a year for checkups and teeth cleaning. For others, it means thousands of dollars in restorative surgery bills. Whether you brush your teeth three times a day or not, dental problems can come without notice. To prevent paying expensive dental bills apply for Medi-Cal coverage and visit a Medi-Cal registered dentist. Medi-Cal will pay some or all of the costs of your dental procedures.
  • Keep great oral health and hygiene.
    • The best way to save money on dental health bills (besides applying for Medi-Cal coverage) is to keep up to date on the overall health of your mouth. Regular dental checkups will help to make sure that your oral health is checked. Medi-Cal dental will cover *routine checkups.
  • Give your kids a head start.
    • According to the Pew Center on the States, about 20% of a child's healthcare expenses come from dental costs.
    • Tooth decay is one of the most common and preventable childhood diseases. It's five times more common than asthma and seven times more prevalent than fever in U.S kids. Twenty percent of kids 0-5 do not get yearly dental checkups. Kids with oral health problems have a hard time learning in school. The U.S Department of Health and Human Services estimates that kids lose over 51 million school hours per year due to dental issues.

If you have Medi-Cal, you will be able to use your dental benefits at any Medi-Cal Dental provider in California. All you need to do is make an appointment and show your Medi-Cal card when you visit the dentist.

 

To apply to Medi-Cal, call our professional Enrollment Advisors at 1-866-294-IEHP (4347), Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. TTY users should call 1-800-720-IEHP (4347). You can also call Health Care Options at 1-800-430-4263 or visit www.healthcareoptions.dhcs.ca.gov. TTY users should call 1-800-430-7077.

 

At IEHP, we are happy to answer any questions you may have regarding Medi-Cal dental coverage. We can also help you apply for Medi-Cal online. 

 

*For more information on guidelines and coverage for Medi-Cal Dental age groups, please visit the covered services section on the Smile California website. By clicking on this link, you will be leaving the IEHP DualChoice website.