Question from Caring.com Community Member, Cecil J Mamo
Will Medicare pay an oral surgeon for tooth extraction?
Expert Answer by Joseph L. Matthews
Joseph L. Matthews is a Caring.com senior editor, an attorney, and the author of Long-Term Care: How to Plan & Pay for It and Social Security, Medicare, & Government Pensions: Get the Most Out of Your Retirement & Medical Benefits.
Most probably not. Medicare considers most work by non-physician oral surgeons as "dental" rather than "medical," and so Medicare doesn't cover it. This is particularly true if the care you're going to receive is a tooth extraction -- the procedure will almost certainly be considered dental and therefore would not be covered.
However, Medicare Part B can cover treatment that involves a problem with bones of the mouth and jaw, if it's the kind of treatment that physicians (M.D.s) perform. If so, the care might be considered "medical" and so would be covered by Medicare Part B even if performed by a non-M.D. oral surgeon. If your oral surgeon has told you that the procedure will involve more than just tooth extraction -- something to do with the bones or tissue of your mouth or jaw -- then ask the surgeon's office to contact Medicare in advance to see if it will cover the procedure. That way, you'll know ahead of time whether the care you're going to receive will be covered.
