Medicaid Adult Dental Benefits Offered to Specific Beneficiary Groups

Published 08/06/2025
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What does Medicaid cover for dental for adults?

According to this CareQuest Institute report updated for 2025, 21 states now offer additional dental coverage to specific beneficiary groups, including pregnant and postpartum adults, adults with developmental and/or intellectual disabilities, and adults utilizing long-term care.

Additional Key Findings 

  • Eight states cover dental services for pregnant adults that are not provided to other adult beneficiaries. Seven states also provide these services to postpartum adults.
  • Nine states cover dental services for adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities that are not provided to other adult beneficiaries.  
  • Seven states cover dental services for adults utilizing long-term care that are not provided to other adult beneficiaries. 

Medicaid adult dental benefits are classified as “optional,” which means that states can limit or exclude adult dental services covered. The report includes a rubric of states offering different coverage to specific groups of adult beneficiaries within eight categories, including annual benefit maximum, diagnostic, preventive, restorative, endodontic, periodontal, prosthodontic, and extraction. 

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