Liberty Dental or DentaQuest? Florida Medicaid Dental Plans Compared

Reviewed October 15, 2026. Florida Medicaid currently has two dental plans: DentaQuest and Liberty Dental. Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) started new Medicaid dental contracts on February 1, 2025, and the state’s choice counseling site now lists only these two plans, so MCNA Dental no longer appears as an option. Neither plan is officially “best”: both cover the same state plan dental services, so the right choice is the plan your dentist accepts and whose extra benefits fit your needs.

Quick answer: Liberty Dental or DentaQuest? Check which one your dentist takes, compare each plan’s expanded benefits, then pick or switch through Florida Medicaid Choice Counseling at 1-877-711-3662 (TDD 1-866-467-4970) or the Florida Medicaid member portal. You have 120 days after enrollment to change plans for any reason.

Florida Medicaid dental plans at a glance

What happened to MCNA Dental in Florida?

MCNA was one of Florida’s Medicaid dental plans under the earlier contracts. Under the contracts that began February 1, 2025, the official Florida Medicaid choice counseling plan page and AHCA’s dental expanded-benefits insert list only DentaQuest and Liberty. Some older state pages, such as a choice counseling FAQ, still mention MCNA, so if you have an old MCNA card or letter, call Choice Counseling to confirm your current dental plan. Our MCNA Dental Florida page has more background.

What Florida Medicaid dental covers

Florida requires almost everyone with Medicaid, including Medically Needy and iBudget enrollees, to be in a dental plan. According to the state’s dental FAQ, children get comprehensive dental care and adults get “all State Plan dental services,” such as exams, screenings, X-rays and extractions. (Florida Medicaid dental FAQ)

Liberty’s member handbook lists these services for adults 21 and older, with prior authorization and yearly limits on some:

• Exams, screenings and X-rays
• Cleanings, twice a year
• Fillings and crowns
• Root canals and periodontal (gum) treatment
• Extractions and sedation
• Dentures and partials

Since October 1, 2025, Florida Medicaid health plans, rather than dental plans, pay for non-emergency outpatient dental services performed in a hospital or ambulatory surgery center; the dental plan still covers the dentist’s services. (AHCA program highlight)

Expanded benefits: the real difference between plans

Because core benefits are the same, expanded benefits are where the plans differ. AHCA’s dental insert groups them like this:

Liberty’s handbook gives some specifics: an OTC benefit of $10 per person or $30 per family each quarter, a yearly diabetes test, one crown a year for adults 65 and older, three cleanings a year during pregnancy, and up to four acclimation visits a year for members with developmental disabilities. For more on that plan, see Liberty Dental Plan in Florida Medicaid and the Liberty Dental Florida phone numbers.

How to choose between Liberty Dental and DentaQuest

1. Start with your dentist. Ask your current dentist, and your children’s dentist, which Florida Medicaid dental plan they accept.
2. Look at the extras you’d use. If you’re pregnant, 65 or older, or have a family member with a developmental disability, compare the expanded benefits for that group.
3. Check specialists. If you may need oral surgery, gum treatment or dentures, ask whether specialists near you are in network.
4. Get help if you’re unsure. Choice Counseling can compare plans with you at no cost.

How to change your Florida Medicaid dental plan

• First 120 days: you can change dental plans for any reason during the 120 days after your enrollment starts.
• After that: you’re locked in until your yearly open enrollment, a 60-day window around the anniversary of your first enrollment, unless you have a state-approved “For Cause” reason.
• How: call Choice Counseling at 1-877-711-3662 (Monday to Thursday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; TDD 1-866-467-4970) or use the Florida Medicaid member portal.
• Ongoing treatment: a new plan must keep covering an already-approved course of treatment for up to 90 days, and active orthodontic treatment continues until it’s finished.

Sources: Florida Medicaid: Enroll in a dental plan, dental FAQ. Step-by-step help is in our guide to changing Medicaid dental plans in Florida, and you can confirm your coverage with how to check your Medicaid status in Florida.

Medicare and Medicaid in Florida

If you have both Medicare and Florida Medicaid, your Medicaid dental plan still applies, and some Medicare Advantage dual-eligible plans add their own dental benefits. Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment runs October 15 to December 7, 2026 for 2027 coverage. See Medicaid vs Medicare and dual eligibility.

Frequently asked questions

Is Liberty Dental or DentaQuest better for Florida Medicaid?

Neither is officially ranked higher. Both cover the same state plan services; choose based on which plan your dentist accepts and the expanded benefits you’d use.

Is MCNA still a Florida Medicaid dental plan?

The current official plan listings show only DentaQuest and Liberty Dental. Call Choice Counseling at 1-877-711-3662 if you’re unsure which plan you have.

Does Florida Medicaid cover dental for adults?

Yes. Adults get all state plan dental services through their dental plan, such as exams, X-rays and extractions, plus services like dentures with prior authorization.

How do I switch from DentaQuest to Liberty Dental?

Call Choice Counseling or use the member portal. You can switch for any reason in your first 120 days, then during your yearly open enrollment or with a for-cause reason.

What is the DentaQuest Florida Medicaid phone number?

DentaQuest Florida Medicaid member services is 1-888-468-5509 (TDD 1-800-466-7566). Liberty Dental’s Florida Medicaid line is 1-833-276-0850 (TDD/TTY 1-877-855-8039).

This article is general information. Medicare365 is an independent website and is not affiliated with or endorsed by AHCA, DentaQuest, Liberty Dental, MCNA or any government agency.

Sources

• Florida Medicaid choice counseling: Dental plan information
• Florida Medicaid: Dental FAQ
• AHCA: SMMC dental expanded benefits insert (PDF)
• AHCA: SMMC 3.0 program highlight (PDF)
• DentaQuest: Florida Medicaid
• Liberty Dental: Florida Medicaid member handbook (PDF)