Guide
Is Medi-Cal dental ending?
Short answer
Medi-Cal dental is not ending for everyone. According to California’s DHCS, starting 1 July 2027 Medi-Cal will stop covering dental services for some adults aged 19 and over, based on immigration status, except emergencies. The law allowed the change from July 2026; the date was delayed.
How Ya Sé Cuánto works2027 From 1 July that year, Medi-Cal will stop covering dental care for some adults. Dental emergencies will stay covered.
The numbers behind this guide
Our September 2026 report on 60 Santa Ana locations, with the method, the limits and how to cite it.
Read the reportWhat we know
Each fact with its date and its source.
Checked September 25, 2026
Today Medi-Cal Dental covers exams, X-rays and cleanings, plus emergency care for pain, extractions, fillings and root canals, among other services.
Checked September 25, 2026
The dental benefit change was delayed to 1 July 2027. From that date, Medi-Cal will stop covering dental services for some adults, except emergencies.
Checked September 25, 2026
AB 116, signed on 30 June 2025, said the change would start "no sooner than" 1 July 2026. It applies to adults aged 19 and over without satisfactory immigration status, in the law’s words.
Checked September 25, 2026
Full dental coverage continues regardless of immigration status for people under 19, people who are pregnant or up to one year postpartum, and young people up to 26 who were in foster care on their 18th birthday.
Checked September 25, 2026
Dental emergencies stay covered. DHCS gives as examples bleeding that does not stop, painful swelling, tooth or jaw pain, an infection, and a broken or knocked-out tooth.
Checked September 25, 2026
DHCS says it mailed notices to affected members in April 2026.
Checked September 25, 2026
Since 1 January 2026, some adults can no longer sign up for full-scope Medi-Cal because of their immigration status. People already enrolled keep it if they renew on time.
What we do not know yet
We would rather say so than fill the gap with a made-up number.
- Which Santa Ana practices accept Medi-Cal Dental for adults. We have not verified it with each practice.
- How often Medi-Cal covers a cleaning or exam for adults. It is in the Medi-Cal Dental manual and we could not confirm it.
- Which law or budget moved the date to 2027, and whether it could change again. The DHCS page does not say.
What to ask before you sit in the chair
Ask by phone or at the front desk, before they start.
- Do you accept Medi-Cal Dental for adults?
- Which part of my treatment does Medi-Cal cover, and which part would I pay?
- If Medi-Cal does not cover something, what is the cash price? Get it in writing before they start.
- When is my next cleaning covered by Medi-Cal?
To find out whether the change applies to you
You do not need to tell us anything. Ask the people who know.
Questions people ask
Is Denti-Cal ending in July 2026?
Denti-Cal, Medi-Cal’s dental program, is not ending in July 2026. The law allowed the change from that date, but California’s DHCS delayed it to 1 July 2027, and only for some adults aged 19 and over. Dental emergencies will stay covered for them.
Who will lose Medi-Cal dental?
Who will lose Medi-Cal dental depends on immigration status: some adults aged 19 and over, from 1 July 2027, according to DHCS. It does not apply to people under 19, people who are pregnant or up to one year postpartum, or young people up to 26 who left foster care. To find out about your case, call Medi-Cal Dental at (800) 322-6384.
Will Medi-Cal still cover dental emergencies?
Medi-Cal will still cover dental emergencies, including for adults who lose the rest of their dental coverage in 2027. DHCS gives as examples bleeding that does not stop, painful swelling, tooth or jaw pain, an infection, and a broken or knocked-out tooth.
What is the Medi-Cal Dental phone number?
The Medi-Cal Dental phone number is (800) 322-6384, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to California’s DHCS. They can tell you what is covered today and whether the July 2027 change applies to you.
What do I do if I lose Medi-Cal dental?
If you lose Medi-Cal dental, you have two routes: a community health center, which adjusts its fees to your income, or a practice that charges cash. In that case, ask for the total price in writing before the visit. Ya Sé Cuánto will publish the price each Santa Ana practice confirms in writing.
Does Medi-Cal cover dental care for adults?
Medi-Cal covers dental care for adults, including exams, X-rays and cleanings, according to California’s DHCS. Starting 1 July 2027 it will stop covering dental services for some adults, except emergencies. To find out whether that change applies to you, call Medi-Cal Dental at (800) 322-6384.
Sources
- Ya Sé Cuánto, Dentist prices in Santa Ana: who publishes them (2026), published September 25, 2026.
- California DHCS, Medi-Cal Dental, checked September 25, 2026.
- California DHCS, Medi-Cal Dental Benefit Changes, checked September 25, 2026.
- California AB 116 (Chapter 21, Statutes of 2025), checked September 25, 2026.
- California DHCS, Medi-Cal Changes, checked September 25, 2026.
- HRSA, What is a Health Center?, checked September 25, 2026.
- HRSA, Find a Health Center, checked September 25, 2026.
Shall we tell you when prices are confirmed?
We will let you know when we publish the first one. We only ask for a phone number or email, and it is free.