Medicare Open Enrollment 2027: Dental Questions to Ask Before You Choose a Plan
From October 15 to December 7 you can switch Medicare Advantage plans. The dental questions worth asking before you decide, explained in plain English.
From October 15 to December 7 is Medicare's annual enrollment period. During those weeks you can switch Medicare Advantage plans, go back to Original Medicare or change your drug plan. Whatever you choose takes effect on January 1, 2027.
Dental is one of the parts of Medicare Advantage plans that changes most from year to year, and one of the least reviewed before signing up. This guide gives you the questions to ask so January holds no surprises.
Before you start
PureSmile is a dental office: we don't sell insurance or recommend one plan over another. To compare plans, use medicare.gov, call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) or get free counseling from SHINE, Florida's Medicare guidance program (floridashine.org). What we do is check the dental side of whichever plan you have or choose, for free.
Step 1: read the dental section of your Annual Notice of Change
In September your plan mails you the Annual Notice of Change. It lists what changes in 2027. Look for the dental section: changes to the annual maximum, copays, the dentist network or covered services all show up there. If you can't find it, ask for it at the number on your card.
Step 2: 8 dental questions for your plan or agent
Is dental included or an optional add-on? Some plans include it; others sell it as a separate package with its own premium.
What is the annual dental maximum? And do cleanings and exams count against it or sit outside it?
Which categories are covered? Preventive (cleanings, exams, X-rays), basic (fillings, extractions) and major (crowns, dentures, root canals and, on some plans, implants).
What do I pay in each category? A flat copay or a percentage.
Are there waiting periods? Some plans won't pay for major treatment until you've been enrolled for several months.
Is pre-authorization required? For dentures, crowns or bridges it almost always is.
Is my dentist in the 2027 network? HMO plans almost always require you to stay in network. PPO plans let you go outside it, usually at a higher cost. Networks change every year: ask using your dentist's name.
How often is each service covered? For example, how many cleanings a year, or how many years between new dentures.
Three things people overlook
Switching plans can restart waiting periods
If you need dentures or a crown and you switch plans, ask whether the new plan has a waiting period. It may make sense to finish treatment before December 31 with the plan you already have.
Treatment in progress doesn't always move to the new plan
If you started something in 2026 (dentures over several visits, for example), ask both your current and new plan how anything left after January 1 gets paid.
What you don't use in 2026 is lost
Whether or not you switch, this year's dental benefit ends December 31. If you're missing a cleaning or exam, there's still time. We explain it in our Medicare Advantage dental benefits guide.
Dates to write down
October 15 – December 7: annual enrollment. You can switch plans.
December 31: last day to use your 2026 dental benefit.
January 1, 2027: the new plan starts and the annual maximum resets.
January 1 – March 31: if you're already in Medicare Advantage, you get one more change: to another Medicare Advantage plan or back to Original Medicare.
How PureSmile Kendall helps
We open November 1, 2026 at 8000 SW 117th Ave, Suite 100. We see you in English or Spanish and work with Medicare Advantage plans and PPO insurance.
Now: we check, for free, what's left of your 2026 dental benefit so you can use it before December 31.
Once you pick your 2027 plan: we check whether we're in its network and what it covers, before your first visit of the year.
From October 15 to December 7, effective January 1. If you're already in Medicare Advantage, you get another change between January 1 and March 31. Special periods apply in specific cases, such as moving.
Does Original Medicare cover dental?
It doesn't cover routine dental care: no cleanings, fillings or dentures. That's why many people look closely at dental when choosing a Medicare Advantage plan.
Can you tell me which plan to choose?
No. We're a dental office and we don't recommend plans. To compare, use medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE or SHINE's free counseling. We'll check the dental side of whichever plan you have.
What should I bring to my first visit?
Your plan card, a photo ID and a list of the medications you take. If you have your summary of benefits, bring that too.
