Medicaid Dental Care for Kids
How to Find a Medicaid Dentist
Did your baby’s first tooth just pop through? Then it’s time to make an appointment with a dentist that accepts Medicaid. If this is your first child or you haven’t found a dentist that takes Medicaid yet, we are here to help!
Since visiting the dentist at least two times per year starting at age 1 is important to keep your children’s teeth and mouths healthy, you want to choose a Medicaid dentist and dental office where you and your child feel comfortable. These are dental offices that are patient, help take the fear out of visiting the dentist and work hard to make your child’s visit a fun experience.
How to Find a Medicaid Dentist
Although many dentists accept Medicaid, some dentists limit the number of Medicaid appointments they’ll take. This can make it hard to schedule or lead to long wait times before you can get in for an appointment. In many states, there is a directory of Medicaid providers that includes dentists and other doctors. You can also find one of our kid- and Medicaid-friendly dental offices near you.
Other ways to find a dentist and narrow down your options:
- Discover options for dentists and dental offices
- Trusted co-workers, friends and family are great resources for dental recommendations
- Ask your child’s pediatrician or other doctors for names of dentists they’d recommend for your child’s dental care needs
- Check online reviews and recommendations on Google My Business, Yelp or Facebook
- Search on Google for websites of a child dentist that accepts Medicaid
- Search the American Dental Association’s Find-a-Dentist tool or America’s Pediatric Dentists directory online for a dentist near you
Other ways to find a dentist and narrow down your options:
- Discover options for dentists and dental offices
- Trusted co-workers, friends and family are great resources for dental recommendations
- Ask your child’s pediatrician or other doctors for names of dentists they’d recommend for your child’s dental care needs
- Check online reviews and recommendations on Google My Business, Yelp or Facebook
- Search on Google for websites of a child dentist that accepts Medicaid
- Search the American Dental Association’s Find-a-Dentist tool or America’s Pediatric Dentists directory online for a dentist near you
Questions to ask to narrow down your dentist options:
- Does the dentist take your insurance?
- Is the dental office located near your work, home, bus lines or your child’s school?
- If you need translation services, does the dentist offer them?
- Is the dental office open days and times that work with your schedule?
- Are there other services offered at the office that your child might need (such as vision and orthodontic care?)
Visit the dentist office for a consultation:
- Schedule a visit to take a tour of the dental office and meet the dentist and staff. At the visit, consider:
- Is the office clean and friendly?
- Is the office designed for children with kid-friendly books and toys in the waiting room? Kid-friendly décor?
- How did the dentist and staff interact with your child? Did they take their time with your child? Did you feel rushed?
- Did the dentist and staff use kid-friendly terms with your child to describe what happens at the dentist office?
And remember. Your dental needs and comfort are your own. You can always switch to another dentist that accepts Medicaid at any time if for any reason you and your child aren’t comfortable at the dental visit or with the care and service you received. Just be sure to request that your records get transferred to the new office.