The best Medicare dental plans will depend on your needs. Original Medicare doesn’t cover routine dental services, such as cleanings, fillings and extractions. For dental coverage, those on Medicare can buy a separate policy or turn to Medicare Advantage plans, most of which offer some form of cost help for dental care.

Medicare Advantage plans are a bundled alternative to Original Medicare, sold by private insurers. They include Medicare Part A (hospital coverage) and Part B (medical insurance) and usually Part D (prescription drug benefits). These plans charge a monthly premium or (frequently) no premium, and they often include extra benefits, such as some coverage for hearing and dental care.

Each plan also gets a star rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, or CMS, on a scale of 1 star (worst) to 5 stars (best) based on the quality of care and customer satisfaction.

The vast majority (97%) of Medicare Advantage plans offer some access to dental care, although the type of coverage and limits on cost sharing vary. A plan might cover twice-a-year cleanings, for instance, but no fillings or other dental work.

In 2022, 48% of Medicare beneficiaries were enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, accounting for more than 28 million people. If you’re looking for the best dental insurance for seniors on Medicare Advantage, here are our top picks for 2023.

Best for size of dental network: UnitedHealthcare.

Best for comprehensive coverage: Cigna & Aetna (tie).

Best for member satisfaction: Kaiser Permanente.

Best for low-cost plans: Humana.

» MORE: Best Medicare Advantage plans

Best for size of dental network: UnitedHealthcare
Average Medicare star rating, weighted by enrollment: 4.28 out of 5.

Service area: Available in 49 states and Washington, D.C.

Standout feature: UnitedHealthcare has the largest network of dental providers of all Medicare Advantage companies, with more than 100,000 providers.

UnitedHealthcare is the biggest provider of Medicare Advantage plans in the U.S., with a presence in 49 states. UnitedHealthcare also partners with AARP and insures Medicare products with the AARP name. Nearly all of UHC’s members are in plans with high star ratings.

Pros:
UHC offers the largest Medicare dental network, with more than 100,000 providers.

UHC plans with comprehensive dental coverage include an average of about seven services per plan.

Among UHC Medicare Advantage members, 95% are in highly rated plans.

Cons:
Only 85% of UHC plans offer comprehensive dental coverage, one of the lower percentages among major Medicare Advantage providers.

» MORE: Read our review of UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans

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Best for comprehensive coverage: Cigna and Aetna (tie)
Cigna
Average Medicare star rating, weighted by enrollment: 4.15 out of 5.

Service area: Available in 28 states and Washington, D.C.

Standout feature: Nearly every Cigna Medicare Advantage plan comes with both preventive and comprehensive dental coverage, including coverage for endodontics, extractions and restorative services.

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Nerdy Tip
Preventive dental coverage may include cleanings, fluoride treatment, X-rays and exams. Comprehensive dental coverage may include diagnostic services, periodontics (gums), extractions, restorative services (fillings, bridges), endodontics (root canals) and prosthodontics (artificial teeth).

Cigna isn’t the largest Medicare Advantage provider, but the company’s plans come packed with benefits, which may include preventive and comprehensive dental, 24/7 telehealth and meal delivery. More than 8 in 10 Cigna Medicare Advantage plans have a $0 premium, and Cigna’s comprehensive dental coverage includes an average of nearly seven covered services.

Pros:
Nearly all Cigna Medicare Advantage members will get both preventive and comprehensive dental coverage.

The average Cigna dental plan with comprehensive coverage includes almost seven covered services.

Cons:
Cigna plans are only available in 28 states and Washington, D.C.

The majority of Cigna’s Medicare Advantage plans are HMOs, which require members to get most of their care from in-network providers.

Cigna Health, a Cigna subsidiary, landed an eighth-place ranking in J.D. Power's latest Medicare Advantage study based on member satisfaction. 

» MORE: Read our review of Cigna Medicare Advantage plans