Legislation Is Introduced to Ensure Every Medicaid Enrollee Has Dental Benefits
The Medicaid Dental Benefit Act of 2026 would require every state to provide adult dental coverage while increasing federal funding to help pay for it.
The Medicaid Dental Benefit Act of 2026, HR 9831, was introduced to the House of Representatives on July 22, 2026, by Senator Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) and Representative Nannett Barragán (D-CA). This bill requires all state Medicaid programs to cover dental and oral health services for adults. It also increases the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage, which is how much the federal government pays toward each state’s Medicaid costs.
Today, dental services are guaranteed only for children covered by Medicaid, not adults. Among those states that offer adult dental benefits, only 38 offer extensive coverage. Alabama provides no dental benefits to adult Medicaid enrollees.
The passage of the legislation would expand access to professional dental care to the country’s poorest residents. The American Dental Association supports the bill, noting that without preventive care and oral health management, many Americans are forced to visit emergency departments for dental problems and may find it more difficult to obtain a job with poor oral health.
HR 9831 is currently being reviewed by the Senate Committee on Finance and relative House committees. If the committees vote to move the bill forward, HR 9831 will be scheduled for a full vote by the House of Representatives and the Senate. Click here to read more.
