Yes. Health First Colorado lists complete, immediate and partial dentures as adult dental benefits when current clinical and program requirements are met. DentaQuest helps administer the dental benefit. The current DentaQuest Office Reference Manual requires prior authorization for complete, immediate and partial dentures, and services must begin after approval. Coverage should be confirmed before impressions or fabrication begins.
Reviewed and updated August 17, 2026. Benefit details were checked against the current DentaQuest Office Reference Manual and adult benefit summary.
Do covered dentures count toward the $3,000 adult limit?
Covered complete and partial removable dentures are not subject to the $3,000 adult dental benefit limit that took effect July 1, 2026. Separate eligibility, clinical-necessity, documentation, frequency, repair, replacement and prior-authorization rules still apply. An exclusion from the annual limit is not an automatic approval for a particular denture or replacement.
Review Star Dental’s Colorado Medicaid adult dental-benefit guide and the current DentaQuest adult dental benefit summary for more detail.
Which dentures may be covered?
| Denture type | What it replaces | Typical planning questions |
|---|---|---|
| Complete denture | All teeth in an upper or lower arch | Are extractions needed? Has healing occurred? Is an immediate or conventional approach appropriate? |
| Partial denture | One or more missing teeth while some natural teeth remain | Which teeth can support the appliance? Are fillings, crowns or extractions needed first? |
| Replacement denture | An existing appliance that is lost, stolen, unrepairable or no longer serviceable | Can the current denture be repaired or relined? Does the request meet replacement rules? |
The dentist must evaluate the mouth, remaining teeth, gums, bite and bone support. Medicaid coverage is based on medical necessity and program criteria, not only on a patient’s preference for a particular material or design.
Why is prior authorization needed?
The dental office submits records supporting the need for the denture. Depending on the case, the request may include an examination, X-rays, the condition of remaining teeth, the proposed treatment and information about any existing appliance. Fabrication should begin only after the office confirms the authorization decision.
Use the dental prior-authorization checklist to organize the questions and records to discuss with your dental office.
What happens after approval?
- Evaluation and impressions. Star Dental’s dentist and on-site denture technician assess the mouth and create records of the supporting tissues and bite.
- Try-in and design review. When the treatment sequence calls for it, the patient checks appearance, tooth shape, shade and bite before final processing.
- Insertion and adjustments. The finished denture is placed, fit and bite are evaluated, and the patient receives use and cleaning instructions. Follow-up adjustments may be needed as the mouth adapts.
Timing varies with denture type, healing, required extractions, approval and the number of try-ins. Star Dental’s on-site technician helps coordinate the steps efficiently, and the team will provide an individual timeline after evaluation.
What if a Medicaid denture is lost or breaks?
Some dentures can be repaired; others need replacement because the base, teeth or fit cannot be made serviceable. Colorado’s adult benefit information says replacement of a lost, stolen or unrepairable broken denture is limited to once per member lifetime. The office should document the condition and confirm how the current rule applies before treatment.
Do not use household glue on a broken denture. It can contaminate or distort the appliance and make a professional repair harder. Keep all pieces and call the office.
If your denture is lost or damaged, start with an assessment rather than assuming you need a complete replacement. Tell the office whether the appliance is missing, the base has cracked, a tooth has come out or the fit has changed. Mention pain, sore areas and whether you can comfortably eat. If you have the denture, keep all pieces together and bring them. Do not use household glue, heat the appliance or try to adjust it yourself.
A short checklist can make the first conversation easier:
- Describe what happened. Say which upper or lower appliance is involved and whether it fitted well before the problem.
- Gather the history you know. Bring your member information and approximate delivery, repair or reline dates. If another office made the denture, ask whether its records should be requested.
- Ask what the assessment found. Repair, reline and replacement address different problems. Ask which option is recommended and why.
- Confirm the benefit and next step. The office checks the proposed service, active eligibility, denture history and any required authorization. Ask what remains outstanding and how to follow up.
The ordinary adult replacement interval is not the same question as an exceptional request for a lost, stolen or unrepairable denture. Neither a broken appliance nor a benefit check is an automatic approval. The office needs to determine which current rule fits your situation before a new appliance is made.
Tell the office if it was an immediate denture. The current manual excludes immediate dentures from the one-time lifetime replacement benefit; the office must check the applicable complete-denture service and review process instead.
For a practical guide to the first call, records and planning while you are without the appliance, read Lost or Broken Dentures With Colorado Medicaid: What to Do Next. To arrange care, call 303-222-1414 and describe your concern.
Keep your denture plan and follow-up visits together
Track the assessment, planned appliance, fit and adjustment visits, and questions about a repair or replacement.
Download English / Español PDF2 pages • 71 KB
Common questions
How often will Medicaid pay for adult dentures in Colorado?
For adults age 21 and older with standard Health First Colorado benefits, the current adult benefit summary lists complete or partial removable dentures once every seven years. The office checks your existing denture, treatment history and any needed approval before planning a new one. Lost, stolen or unrepairable broken dentures have separate replacement rules; repairs and relines are also checked separately. Bring your current denture and any dates or records you have so the team can check the right option.
Do dentures count toward Colorado Medicaid’s $3,000 adult dental limit?
Covered complete and partial removable dentures are not subject to the adult annual benefit limit. The office must still confirm active eligibility, clinical criteria, frequency and replacement rules, documentation and any required prior authorization.
Does Medicaid pay for both upper and lower dentures?
Complete and partial dentures are listed benefits, but each arch and treatment request must meet program requirements. The office will verify the specific plan.
Will Medicaid cover a one-tooth partial denture?
A partial denture can replace one or more teeth, but coverage depends on the clinical need and authorization criteria. An examination is required.
Are denture repairs covered?
Repair coverage depends on the type of damage, whether the appliance can be made serviceable and current program rules. Bring the denture and all pieces for evaluation.
The sponsored Colorado Dental Medicaid Guide explains denture repair, reline and follow-up coverage questions to check with your office.
Are there deductibles or copayments?
Health First Colorado’s dental benefit summary states that covered dental services from enrolled providers do not have member copayments or deductibles. Eligibility and coverage must still be verified.
Read our clinical guide to repair versus replacement, visit Star Dental’s denture service page, or browse all Medicaid dental guides.
Let us help verify your dental benefits
Star Dental accepts Health First Colorado Medicaid. In many cases, our team can check current eligibility using your full name and date of birth, even if you do not have your member number with you. Call 303-222-1414 before treatment so coverage and any required approval can be confirmed.