Does Medicare Cover Wisdom Tooth Extractions?

• by Christian Worstell
• August 9, 2023
• Reviewed by John Krahnert

Original Medicare (Medicare Part A and Part B) does not typically cover routine dental care. But certain Medicare Advantage plans (Medicare Part C) offer benefits not found in Original Medicare. 

Learn more about your wisdom tooth extraction coverage options.

Does Original Medicare cover dental?

A wisdom tooth extraction is categorized by Medicare as a routine, non-emergency dental procedure. Thus, it is not typically covered by Original Medicare.

Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) might help cover the costs for certain dental services you receive while admitted as a hospital inpatient, but only in specific circumstances.

These situations might typically include:

• Emergency oral surgery
• Certain complicated dental procedures
• Dental care that is required as part of preparation for a medically necessary surgery

Wisdom tooth extraction doesn’t typically fall under the category of being an emergency or medically necessary for other surgeries.

If your circumstances do qualify you for Part A coverage of your wisdom teeth extraction, you are responsible for paying the Part A deductible ($1,600 per benefit period in 2023) before your coverage kicks in.

Without insurance, wisdom tooth extraction can cost hundreds or dollars per tooth when paid out of pocket. And this estimate may not include the cost of X-rays, sedation or medications.

Some Medicare Advantage plans cover benefits not found in Original Medicare

Medicare Advantage, or Medicare Part C, is an alternative way for beneficiaries to get their Medicare Part A and Part B coverage. 

By law, every Medicare Advantage plan must provide all the same benefits as Original Medicare. Some Medicare Advantage plans may include additional benefits for coverage not offered by Original Medicare.

You will still pay your Medicare Part B premium (as enrollment in Part A and Part B are required for Medicare Advantage eligibility) along with your Medicare Advantage premium.

The popularity of Medicare Advantage plans has been soaring, thanks largely to beneficiaries who seek additional benefits like dental coverage. Plus, the average premiums for Medicare Advantage plans have been decreasing in recent years.

If you are a Medicare beneficiary (or are nearing Medicare eligibility) and want to find a Medicare Advantage plan, get help comparing plans available in your area.

Get started today by calling to speak with a licensed insurance agent.

About the author

Christian Worstell is a senior Medicare and health insurance writer with MedicareAdvantage.com. He is also a licensed health insurance agent. Christian is well-known in the insurance industry for the thousands of educational articles he’s written, helping Americans better understand their health insurance and Medicare coverage.

Christian’s work as a Medicare expert has appeared in several top-tier and trade news outlets including Forbes, MarketWatch, WebMD and Yahoo! Finance.

Christian has written hundreds of articles for MedicareAvantage.com that teach Medicare beneficiaries the best practices for navigating Medicare. His articles are read by thousands of older Americans each month. By better understanding their health care coverage, readers may hopefully learn how to limit their out-of-pocket Medicare spending and access quality medical care.

Christian’s passion for his role stems from his desire to make a difference in the senior community. He strongly believes that the more beneficiaries know about their Medicare coverage, the better their overall health and wellness is as a result.

A current resident of Raleigh, Christian is a graduate of Shippensburg University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.

If you’re a member of the media looking to connect with Christian, please don’t hesitate to email our public relations team at Mike@tzhealthmedia.com.

 

 

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