How to Find a Dentist Near Me that Accept Medicaid

Author: nearmedental

It is very difficult to afford a dentist without insurance. However, if you have Medicaid, you need to find a dentist near me that accepts Medicaid. It can be hard to find one but first, you need to understand how Medicaid dental coverage works. 

Medicaid Dental Coverage

Medicaid is a health insurance program that is funded by the federal and state government. Although the federal government mandates healthcare coverage, dental coverage will be determined by your state government. 

If you have Medicaid, you can receive all the dental services irrespective of the state you are currently residing in. Your Medicaid coverage also extends to your children who will receive Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment. 

Currently, there are 4 states that do not provide dental coverage under Medicaid for adults – Alabama, Maryland, Delaware, and Tennessee. However, these states provide an exception for disabled, pregnant, and elderly people with no income. 

Why is it Hard to Find a Dentist Near Me that Accept Medicaid? 

Only 38% of the dentists in the United States accept Medicaid according to the American Dental Association. Therefore, you can see many people suffering from serious dental issues due to a lack of affordable care. 

With Medicaid, you can easily get necessary dental care like cavity fillings, diagnostic tests, orthodontic consultation, root canals, crowns, and dental cleanings at an affordable cost. It is slowly becoming very hard to find a dentist near me that accepts Medicaid because dentists get more money from privately insured patients. Medicaid will pay the dentists only half of what privately insured patients will pay for general services like getting crowns. Therefore, it is more profitable for dentists to reject patients with Medicaid. 

Finding a Dentist Near Me that Accept Medicaid

If you are searching for a dentist near me that accepts Medicaid, then you can follow these steps to find a dental professional. 

State Policy

The first thing you need to do before searching for a dentist near me that accepts Medicaid is to check your state’s dental coverage policy for adults. You can hear about the policy on the news as Medicaid expansion is covered in election ballots. 

Every state has different dental coverage. Therefore, you need to be careful before visiting a dentist. It is best for you to contact the Medicaid office or visit their website to find out about the policy. You will be able to get the detailed information regarding what is covered and what is not. However, do note that the federal government mandates all states to take care of children’s dental needs. 

If your state does not have Medicaid dental coverage, find out if there is a managed care program to administer dental care. Many states use companies like DentaQuest to partner with the Medicaid program for affordable dental care. You will be able to find a Dentist near me that accepts Medicaid by getting in touch with any of these third-party programs. 

Choose a Professional 

Once you find out the dentist near me that accepts Medicaid, you will need to do a little research to segregate the best out of the lot. You can make your own list by narrowing down a dentist based on the location and services they provide. If you have any queries or doubts about the services, you can simply call their front desk and ask. For example, you can ask about the services that are covered under the Medicaid program and the charges of those services after the deductions. Nevertheless, if you are taking your kids with you, it is always polite to inform your dentist in advance. You can also find a dentist who has a good reputation with kids. 

Compare Benefits

After you finalize on a dental service provider, you need to make an appointment. During the appointment, you need to explain the specific type of treatment you are seeking like a filling or a crown. Your dentist’s office will explain your diagnosis along with the proposed treatment and costs. 

After you get all the details, you can compare the cost of the treatment with the benefits that you get out of Medicaid. If your treatment is still burning a hole in your pocket, you can discuss your options with your dentist to come up with a payment plan. You can also get discounts or your dentist will allow you to pay in installments. 

Bottom Line 

If you do not have private insurance, you need to find a dentist near me that accepts Medicaid. Dental health is extremely important and you should not neglect your teeth for any reason.