Does Medicaid Cover Dental Implants? What’s Covered and How To Pay the Rest [Video]

If you have Idaho Medicaid dental benefits, Idaho Smiles provides your dental coverage. Patients in the state’s Medicaid dental program deserve to get the most out of their coverage, especially when they’re looking to replace missing teeth. An important question you might ask yourself: Does Medicaid cover dental implants? The answer is that state insurance may cover some of the process if it’s considered medically necessary. It does not cover the implants themselves, so you’ll likely have remaining costs to cover out of pocket. Our practice supports patients by working with third-party financing to break up those costs.

At West Wind Dental, Dr. Robert Ellis helps you understand your options for replacing missing teeth. Our front office team reviews your Idaho Smiles benefits to identify which services may be covered. We’ll explain your expected out-of-pocket costs and available financing options so you can make an informed decision about your care.

Does Medicaid Cover Dental Implants?

Dental implants are not listed among Idaho Smiles’ published covered benefits. But state insurance may still cover some aspects of treatment if it’s considered medically necessary. Idaho Smiles provides an overview of its dental benefits for members online, but this is general information. It doesn’t guarantee how coverage will apply in your situation.

Depending on your treatment needs and Idaho Smiles’ coverage rules, your state insurance may cover these services:

• Diagnostic exams and X-rays
• Dental extractions
• Anesthesia for medically necessary procedures
• Dentures (one every seven years)

Medicaid’s denture coverage still has certain restrictions, particularly when applied to implant dentures. Benefits may apply to fabricating an upper and lower denture. However, you would be responsible for the cost of the implants and for retrofitting the denture with the housing.

So while Medicaid won’t cover the dental implants themselves, it may cover some treatment costs.

For some services, your insurance plan may require prior authorization before treatment. MCNA Dental, Idaho Smiles’ administrator, determines what is medically necessary by reviewing your medical records and treatment plan against its rules.

You can talk to MCNA Dental about your benefits by calling the member hotline at 1-855-233-6262. However, our staff can look into your benefits on your behalf using the details of your proposed treatment plan.

Our team can submit the required information for review and help you understand the decision.

Cover Those Remaining Dental Implant Costs With Financing

The Idaho Smiles program can cover some essential steps in the dental implant process. However, it’s normal to still have some outstanding costs after we apply applicable Medicaid benefits to your treatment. But at West Wind Dental, we don’t think this should stop you from saying yes to dental implants! That’s why our practice partners with third-party financing to make the remaining expense more manageable.

Payment plans let you spread the cost of your care into smaller, more manageable amounts. Our practice works with:

• CareCredit: a healthcare credit card
• Cherry: a buy-now-pay-later loan
• Sunbit: a dental financing loan

In many cases, these financing options allow you to check eligibility without affecting your credit score. Approval takes just minutes, and we can finance you while you’re in our office.

When you come in for a free consultation, we’re happy to explain what Medicaid covers and how financing can help you manage the remaining costs.

We Accept Most Dental Insurances, Including Idaho Smiles!

West Wind Dental accepts most dental insurance plans, including Idaho Smiles. But does Medicaid cover dental implants? In general, state insurance covers some aspects of the procedure if it’s considered medically necessary. If you have remaining costs, financing can help you manage them, so you can still access the care you deserve. Our office staff can review your dental insurance, identify what it covers, and find the best way to maximize your coverage.

At West Wind Dental, we want to help you afford dental implants by making sure you get the most from your dental benefits. Book a free consultation.