Keeping Your Child's Dental Coverage
If you've heard the phrase Alabama Medicaid unwinding and wondered whether it still affects your family, here's the short answer: the unwinding itself has ended, but annual renewals never did.
Your child's Medicaid coverage has to be renewed. Miss the paperwork, and coverage can lapse even when your family still qualifies.
This page explains what the Alabama Medicaid unwinding was, what replaced it, and exactly what to do so your child's dental visits stay covered.
What the Alabama Medicaid Unwinding Actually Was
During the COVID-19 public health emergency, federal rules prevented states from removing anyone from Medicaid. Enrollment stayed continuous for roughly three years.
That protection ended March 31, 2023. Starting that April, states resumed checking eligibility for everyone on the rolls — a process nicknamed the unwinding. The Alabama Medicaid Agency worked through its entire caseload and confirmed the process was complete in 2024.
A significant share of Alabamians who lost Medicaid coverage Alabama-wide during that period were children, and many losses were procedural — paperwork that never got returned rather than families who'd stopped qualifying.
That's the part worth remembering. The Alabama Medicaid unwinding is finished, but paperwork is still how most families lose coverage.
In other words, the lesson of the Alabama Medicaid unwinding outlived the event itself.
Annual Renewals Replaced the Unwinding
Medicaid renewal now works the way it did before the pandemic: eligibility is reviewed about once every 12 months, or sooner if your household situation changes.
You'll get a renewal notice in the mail. Your job is to respond to it.
- Renewal notices come by postal mail. Watch for envelopes from Alabama Medicaid and open them.
- Keep your address current. This is the single biggest cause of lost coverage — the Agency can't reach families who've moved.
- Return the form on time, by mail or online.
- Report changes in income, household size, or address when they happen, not at renewal time.
Medicaid redetermination goes through each year is routine. It only becomes a crisis when the mail goes to an old address — the same failure mode behind so many losses during the Alabama Medicaid unwinding.
What Dental Services Are Covered?
- Dental exams
- Routine cleanings
- Fluoride treatments
- Dental sealants
- X-rays
- Fillings
- Crowns (when medically necessary)
- Tooth extractions
- Emergency dental treatment
- Space maintainers
- Limited orthodontic treatment when medically necessary
Does Medicaid Cover Braces?
The short answer: sometimes, and only for specific cases.
Alabama Medicaid does not cover cosmetic orthodontics. Braces for appearance alone — mild crowding, spacing preferences, cosmetic straightening — are considered elective and fall outside the program.
Medically necessary orthodontic treatment is a different category. Certain functional conditions may qualify for coverage after prior approval through Alabama Medicaid, which is a formal review process the Agency handles case by case.
The only way to know where your child stands is an orthodontic evaluation. Our orthodontist examines the bite, takes the records the Agency requires, and tells you honestly whether the case is likely to meet the criteria — before any paperwork gets submitted. If it doesn't qualify, you'll also see itemized self-pay pricing and monthly payment options in the same visit.
The consultation itself is free. That's true whether your child ends up qualifying for Medicaid orthodontic coverage or not.
What to Do If Your Child Lost Coverage
Don't assume it's permanent.
If coverage ended because a renewal wasn't completed, the Agency has stated that recipients can have coverage reinstated if they're still eligible and contact Alabama Medicaid within 90 days of the termination date.
Even outside that window, reapplying is worth doing. Families whose income has changed may still qualify for Medicaid, and children who no longer qualify may be eligible for ALL Kids insurance Alabama offers through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama as the state's CHIP program.
Fill out the form even if you think you may not qualify — you may be eligible for other health coverage programs.
Start at the Alabama Medicaid Agency website, or call the Recipient Call Center at 800-362-1504.
Why Coverage Gaps Hurt Kids' Teeth
Dental care is where lapses show up fastest.
Kids Medicaid dental benefits generally cover the preventive work that keeps small problems small — exams, cleanings, fluoride, sealants, and X-rays when needed. Skip six months of that and a watchable white spot can become a filling.
A gap in Medicaid coverage Alabama families experience for a few months often turns a routine checkup into an emergency visit later. That's worse for your child and more expensive for you.
Our advice is unglamorous and hasn't changed since the Alabama Medicaid unwinding: renew on time, keep your address current, and keep the six-month checkup rhythm going.
Renewal Questions Parents Ask
We Accept Medicaid and ALL Kids
Dentists 4 Children accepts Medicaid and BCBS All Kids. Our front desk verifies eligibility before your child's visit, so you know where you stand before treatment rather than after.
Not sure whether your child's Alabama Medicaid is active? Our team can help verify your eligibility before your appointment — call 334-203-5787 and we'll check when we verify benefits.
Full details on plans, financing, and payment options are on our insurance and payments page.
New to us? Here's what to expect at your child's first visit. Or start with the full new patient information.
Covered? Let's Get Them Seen.
Whether your family navigated the Alabama Medicaid unwinding years ago or you're simply due for this year's Medicaid redetermination Alabama requires, the next dental step is the same. Our team will verify your child's coverage before the visit.
Request an appointment and we'll verify your child's coverage before the visit.
Coverage varies based on eligibility and medical necessity. Our team can help determine which services are covered for your child.