How to Get Medi-Cal Dental If You Have Never Had It

By Ross Seymour of Free Dentist Office, a directory of dentists who take Medi-Cal, built from the state's public provider data. It is not run by any state agency.

Dental is not a separate thing you sign up for. If you are approved for Medi-Cal, you have dental coverage. A lot of people who qualify have never applied because they assume they earn too much or that it takes months.

What it costs. Nothing to apply, and most people pay nothing for the coverage
Dental included. Yes, automatically. There is no separate dental application
Where to apply. Online, by phone, by post or in person at your county office
Worth knowing. Income is not the only route in. Age, disability and pregnancy also count

You May Qualify Even If You Think You Do Not

The two beliefs that keep people out are that you have to have no job, and that you have to have children. Neither is true. Working adults without children can qualify, and the income limits are higher than most people assume.

Being pregnant, being over 65, having a disability or being a young adult can all change the answer. So can a change in your situation. If you were turned down years ago, the rules have moved since.

Immigration status is the other thing people worry about. The rules here have changed and they are not what most people think, so ask rather than assuming the answer is no.

How to Apply

There are four ways in and they all lead to the same place. Online through the state's coverage site. By phone. On a paper form through the post. Or in person at your county social services office.

In person is slower but it is the one where somebody sits with you and fills it in properly. If the form has beaten you before, go in person.

What to Have Ready

Proof of who you are, proof of where you live and proof of what you earn. Recent payslips, a benefit letter or a tax return will usually do for income.

If you do not have all of it, apply anyway. A missing document slows an application down. It does not end it, and they will write and tell you what they still need.

What Happens Next

You get a decision in the post. If you are approved you get a Medi-Cal card, and that card is what a dental office asks to see. There is no second card for dental.

Then you find an office. That is where this site comes in, and it is the slower half of the job.

If You Are Turned Down

You can appeal, and appeals do get overturned. You can also reapply if something in your situation changes, and you do not have to wait a year to do it.

A county social services worker can tell you exactly why the answer was no, which is worth knowing before you try again.

Before You Spend a Dime

Is dental really included?

Yes. Medi-Cal dental, which people call Denti-Cal, comes with Medi-Cal. You do not apply for it separately.

How long does approval take?

It varies by county and by how complete your application is. Ask your county office for their current timescale rather than trusting a number you read online.

Can I be seen while I am waiting?

Community health centers see people who are uninsured and charge by income. Do not wait in pain for a letter.

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