​​Medi-Cal Dental Benefit Changes ​​

Startin​​​g on July 1, 2026, Medi-Cal will stop covering dental services for some adult members, except for emergencies. This change is based on immigration status. The change only affects Medi-Cal members who are aged 19 and older and do not qualify for federal full-scope Medi-Cal.

To find out if the change applies​​​​​ to you, read the Immigration Status Char​t at: DHCS - Immigration Status Categories​  

​​​You will keep full-scope Medi-Cal with dental benefits regardless of your immigration status if: 

• You are pregnant or in the first year after your pregnancy ends, or 

• You are under age 19, or  

• You are under age 26 and were in foster care on your 18th birthday​

If you are currently enrolled in a Medi-Cal Dental Plan (Dental Managed Care Plan), you will either: 

• Stay enrolled in your Dental Managed Care Plan if you are under 19, or  

• Move to the Medi-Cal Dental Program (fee-for-service) for your full dental benefits if you are:

• ​​​​​​​Pregnant or one-year postpartum (after pregnancy), and/or  

• ​​A foster child/youth or former foster youth under age 26 who was in foster care on your 18th birthday 

If you do not qualify for full-scope Medi-Cal with dental benefits, you can still get care for emergency dental needs, including:  

• Serious tooth pain 

• Infections 

• Tooth extractions 

To learn more about Dental Emergency services, go to: Smile, California - Dental Emergency Information. 

For answers to questions about which immigration statuses the changes affect, read the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) found in the resources below. ​

Provider Bulletin 

• More detailed information about changes to your dental benefits can be found here - Medi-Cal Dental Benefit Changes Frequently Asked Questions​

• Medi-Cal Changes 

• Medi-Cal Dental Program

• Smile, California​​