Know where to go for Dental Care – Florida Dental Access Guide

Know where to go for dental care.

It is best to access routine dental care and recommended preventive services from your Primary Dental Provider (PDP). For this reason, it is very important to select a PDP. Your PDP is who you will see for most dental health problems. A PDP can be a pediatric or general dentist.

Going to your child’s PDP has several benefits:

You can usually see the same provider.
Your provider is familiar with you child and can access to your child’s dental health records.
Your provider can help you make a treatment plan, monitor your condition and schedule recommended follow-ups.
Your provider can help refer you to a specialist if special dental care is needed.

As a Florida Medicaid Dental Program beneficiary, you may have been assigned a Dental Home (Refer to Step 1), a PDP that you can access for routine check-ups and preventive dental care. You do not need a referral for dental services with your PDP to prevent dental problems and keep your mouth healthy.

DID YOU KNOW?

Hospital emergency rooms do not have dentists on staff. Walk-ins to the emergency room are seen by a provider who is working that day and are typically given antibiotics and pain medication and are told to contact their dentist.

Remember that you have the freedom to change your dentist at any time.

It is important to review your Medicaid Dental Program member handbook to know where you can seek care and what services are covered. There may be big differences between your PDP, urgent care, and an emergency department and some services may require special approval by the plan. If you experience a nonemergency dental problem, it is best to call your PDP to schedule an appointment.