Virginia Medicaid Dental Coverage

Updated August 2026

Under the federal EPSDT mandate, Virginia Medicaid must cover any dental service that is medically necessary for a child under 21, even if that service is not listed as a standard adult benefit. DMAS contracts with managed care plans under Cardinal Care to deliver dental services to most enrolled children.

Comprehensive — Cardinal Care Smiles

Adult dental coverage

Full EPSDT (2 exams/yr)

Children's dental coverage (under 21)

DentaQuest, 1-888-912-3456

Cardinal Care Smiles dental administrator

Virginia Medicaid covers comprehensive dental for both adults and children

Cardinal Care Smiles is Virginia's Medicaid and FAMIS dental program, covering both adults and children and administered by DentaQuest. Adults have access to exams, cleanings, fillings, root canals, gum treatment, dentures, and extractions or other oral surgery at no cost. EPSDT still requires comprehensive dental coverage for all enrolled children under 21. Call DentaQuest at 1-888-912-3456 or search dentaquest.com to find a dentist.

Dental coverage for children and teens (under 21)

Oral exams and cleanings (two per year)
Dental X-rays
Fluoride treatments and sealants
Fillings (amalgam and composite)
Extractions
Root canal treatment (anterior teeth)
Orthodontics (when medically necessary — not cosmetic)
Emergency dental services
Nitrous oxide and sedation when medically necessary

Adult dental coverage (age 21 and older)

Virginia expanded Medicaid dental coverage to include all adults in 2021, extending benefits to about 750,000 Virginians. Adult dental coverage is delivered through Cardinal Care Smiles, Virginia's Medicaid and FAMIS dental program, which is managed by DentaQuest. Adult dental coverage remains an optional state benefit under federal Medicaid rules, meaning the state chooses to offer it rather than being required to.

Through Cardinal Care Smiles, adults have access to X-rays, exams, cleanings, fillings, root canals, gum-related treatment, dentures, and extractions or other oral surgeries at no cost. Contact DentaQuest at 1-888-912-3456 or search dentaquest.com/find-change-dentist to find a dentist who accepts Medicaid in your zip code.

A 2026 Virginia budget proposal would have introduced a $2,000 annual spending cap on adult Medicaid dental services; as of this writing, that proposal was under legislative review and had not taken effect. Because adult dental is an optional benefit, coverage details can change with the state budget — call DentaQuest or check virginiamanagedcare.com for the most current benefit information.

How to find a Medicaid dental provider in Virginia

Dental benefits for both adults and children are delivered through Cardinal Care Smiles, administered by DentaQuest, separately from your Cardinal Care medical health plan. To find an in-network dentist, call DentaQuest at 1-888-912-3456 or search dentaquest.com/find-change-dentist. The Cardinal Care Enrollment Broker at 1-800-643-2273 can also help direct you to your dental benefit contact.

Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) across Virginia also accept Medicaid for dental services and use sliding-scale fees for uninsured patients. The HRSA Health Center Finder at findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov can locate an FQHC near you.

Children are entitled to at minimum two dental exams per year under EPSDT. If your child's dentist is not accepting new Medicaid patients, contact DMAS at 1-800-552-8627 for provider location assistance.

School-based dental screenings and FAMIS members

Children enrolled in FAMIS Plus (Virginia's CHIP-funded Medicaid children's program) receive the same dental benefits as other Cardinal Care Medicaid enrollees, including the full EPSDT preventive and restorative package.

Virginia also offers school-based dental screenings through the DMAS EPSDT program. If your child receives a referral for follow-up dental care through a school screening, that referral should be honored by any Cardinal Care in-network dental provider.