Find a dentist that takes Medicaid in Florida

Alex Chen

Updated August 17, 2026 · 3 min read

Summary: Many Florida dental offices say they "take Medicaid" but aren't accepting new Medicaid patients — in fact a federal study found about 35% of providers listed as "accepting new patients" weren't when called. In Florida, dental runs through your SMMC dental plan (DentaQuest, MCNA or Liberty), and the only reliable way to know is to call and confirm before you book.

Step by step

Confirm your Florida Medicaid plan name and member ID — the office will ask for the plan, not just "Medicaid".
Pull a shortlist from the official directory: your SMMC dental plan (DentaQuest, MCNA or Liberty)’s dentist search, or https://www.flmedicaidmanagedcare.com; InsureKidsNow.gov has a national locator for children.
In the directory, filter by "Dental/Dentist" and look for a "currently accepting new patients" indicator.
Call each office and confirm two things: do they accept your specific plan, and are they taking NEW Medicaid patients.
Ask about wait times and book the first office that confirms both.

Medicaid in Florida: who runs it

Florida’s program is Florida Medicaid (Statewide Medicaid Managed Care, SMMC), run by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA). The member line is 1-877-711-3662 (Medicaid Choice Counseling), and the official plan and provider directory is at https://www.flmedicaidmanagedcare.com.

Dental is handled by a separate dental plan under SMMC — most members are enrolled with DentaQuest, MCNA Dental or Liberty Dental, and the dental plan has its own provider directory and member line.

Plans you’ll see in Florida

The office will ask which plan you have, not just "Medicaid" — the name is on your card. The main managed-care plans in the state:

Sunshine Health
Humana Healthy Horizons
Simply Healthcare
Molina Healthcare of Florida
Aetna Better Health of Florida

Florida-specific things to know

Florida splits medical and dental into two separate managed-care enrollments; your dental card may name a different company from your medical plan.
Adult dental under Florida Medicaid is limited (mostly emergency and denture services); children get full coverage — ask the office which services they will bill.
The AHCA / Medicaid Choice Counseling line can tell you which plan and dental plan you are actually enrolled in if you are unsure.
Florida is one of the states that has not expanded Medicaid, so eligibility for adults is narrower and plan changes at renewal are common.

Common mistakes to avoid

Trusting an online "accepts Medicaid" listing without calling to confirm.
Not asking specifically whether they take NEW Medicaid patients.
Giving up after a few "no"s instead of working down the list.

Let Karen make the calls

Karen calls down the list for you and reports back what it found — you just pick.

If Karen needs a detail she doesn’t have, or someone asks to verify your identity, she’ll add you to the call for a quick warm handoff so you can take over.

Have Karen make the call

20 free minutes to start · then from 5.5¢/minute · no subscription

Frequently asked questions

Why is it so hard to find a dentist that takes Medicaid in Florida?

Many offices cap how many Medicaid patients they take or pause new intake, so directories go stale — a federal study found roughly 35% of "accepting new patients" listings were wrong when called. Phoning to confirm is the only reliable check.

Where are the official Florida Medicaid dentist directories?

Start with your SMMC dental plan (DentaQuest, MCNA or Liberty)’s directory and the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA)’s site (https://www.flmedicaidmanagedcare.com); InsureKidsNow.gov has a national locator for children.

Who handles Medicaid dental in Florida?

A separate dental plan under Statewide Medicaid Managed Care — usually DentaQuest, MCNA Dental or Liberty Dental. Your dental card names it, and that plan has its own provider directory.

What if I don’t know which Florida Medicaid plan I have?

Call Medicaid Choice Counseling at 1-877-711-3662 or log in at flmedicaidmanagedcare.com — it lists both your medical plan and your dental plan.

Can Karen find one for me?

Yes. Karen calls down a list of Florida dental offices, confirms which take your Medicaid plan and are accepting new patients, and reports back the ones that said yes.