Original Medicare does not cover most dental care services that many seniors regularly need. Routine dental procedures such as cleanings, fillings, tooth extractions, dentures, and even root canals are not covered under Parts A and B. This gap in coverage exists because dental care is not considered “medically necessary” under Medicare guidelines.

There are only very limited circumstances where Original Medicare provides dental coverage. For instance, Medicare Part A may cover certain dental services when they’re performed in a hospital setting and are integral to another covered procedure. These situations might include:

• Dental work required before organ transplants
• Oral exams prior to cardiac valve replacements or valvuloplasty procedures
• Dental services related to head or neck cancer treatment.

However, even when Medicare does pay for some preparatory dental work, it will not cover the cost of dental implants or dentures, nor will it cover follow-up dental care once the primary health condition has been treated.