Direct Answer: Covered California announced a statewide weighted average rate increase of 6.2 percent for its 2027 dental plans on August 25, 2026. The new rates start January 1, 2027.
If you buy your own dental coverage through the state marketplace, your January bill is going up. On August 25, 2026, Covered California announced preliminary 2027 dental rates with a statewide weighted average increase of 6.2 percent.
I hear about insurance more than almost anything else on the phone. Roughly a quarter of the calls into our Huntington Beach office start with some version of “do you take my plan,” and the second question is usually about cost.
So let’s keep this practical. Below is who the increase actually hits, the dates that matter between now and January, and what I’d do with the rest of my 2026 benefits if I lived in Oak View or Bolsa Chica-Heil and just got this news.
What the 6.2% Covered California dental plan rate change for 2027 really means
Covered California announced its dental plans and preliminary rates for the 2027 coverage year with a statewide weighted average rate increase of 6.2 percent for plans offered through the marketplace. The state pointed to the industry-wide rise in the cost of dental care, along with an increased use of services, as what drove the change.
The word doing the heavy lifting there is weighted average. That is the blended number across all the plans sold, not a flat 6.2 percent stamped on every policy.
Your specific plan could go up more than that. It could go up less. You will not know until you pull up your own renewal in the marketplace and compare it to what you pay now.
A quick way to sanity check the math on your own number:
- Take your current monthly dental premium.
- Multiply it by 1.062 for a rough sense of the average-case 2027 cost.
- Multiply the difference by 12 to see the yearly impact.
As an illustration only, a plan running $35 a month today would land near $37 at the average increase, or roughly $24 more across the year. That is real money, but for most Orange County households it is a smaller number than one surprise filling. You can read the announcement straight from the source at Covered California’s newsroom.
Who this applies to, and who can stop reading
This change applies to the optional family dental plans sold through the Covered California marketplace. Covered California said eight dental plans from five insurers will be offered in 2027.
It does not apply to dental coverage you get through your job. It does not apply to Medi-Cal Dental. And it does not change anything about what a dental office charges.
The dates you need:
- August 25, 2026 – preliminary 2027 dental rates announced
- November 1, 2026 – open enrollment opens
- December 31, 2026 – your 2026 plan year benefits reset
- January 1, 2027 – the new rates take effect
- January 31, 2027 – open enrollment closes
That December 31 line matters more than the premium hike for a lot of families I talk to. Between Huntington Beach school breaks, winter sports, and holiday travel, December disappears fast and unused benefits go with it.
If your coverage situation is changing for a different reason, we walked through that in what your realistic options look like after losing Medi-Cal dental coverage.
DHMO vs DPPO: what to actually compare during open enrollment
If you are shopping plans between November 1 and January 31, premium is only one line of the decision. Here is how the two main plan types generally differ.
| What to compare | DHMO (dental HMO) | DPPO (dental PPO) |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly premium | Usually the lower of the two | Usually costs more per month |
| Choosing a dentist | You are typically assigned to one contracted office | You can usually see in-network or out-of-network dentists |
| Cost at the visit | Often a set copay per procedure | Often coinsurance after a deductible |
| Annual maximum | Frequently no annual cap | Frequently capped for the plan year |
| Specialist care | Referral is commonly required | Referral usually not required |
| Best fit for | Predictable routine costs | Keeping the dentist you already trust |
The mistake I watch people make every January
Someone picks the cheapest premium on the screen, then calls our office in February and finds out the plan assigned them to a DHMO office down in another city. Now they are driving past three dentists to reach the one their card allows.
Before you lock in a 2027 plan, check the network list for the specific office you want to visit. Not the insurance company name. The office.
A few things worth confirming while you are in there:
- Which local dentists are in network for that exact plan, not just that carrier
- Whether there is a waiting period for crowns, root canals, or other major work
- The annual maximum and what counts against it
- Whether an out-of-network office can still submit a claim for reimbursement on your behalf
That last one surprises people. Several callers have told us they assumed out of network meant the door was closed, when in reality a claim can often still be submitted and some of it comes back.
If plan cards confuse you, start with our plain-English breakdown of DHMO, PPO, and discount plans, then use how to check whether a dentist takes your plan before you book.
Your timeline from now through January 31
Five dates decide whether this change costs you money or barely registers.
Use what you already paid for before December 31
Here is the part I push hardest on with patients. You already paid premiums all year in 2026. If you have an unused cleaning, an unused annual maximum, or a deductible you already met, that value evaporates on December 31.
A cracked molar in November treated as a same-day crown uses this year’s benefits. The same tooth treated in February uses next year’s, at the higher premium, with a fresh deductible.
What I’d check on your plan right now:
- Have you used both of your cleanings for the plan year?
- Is there treatment already diagnosed that you postponed?
- Have you hit your deductible already, which makes finishing work this year cheaper?
- Do you have kids with sealants or fluoride still available?
Our Saturday appointments book out in December, mostly with working parents from Central Huntington Beach and Fountain Valley trying to get in before the reset. If you are planning around that window, is it worth using your dental benefits before they expire walks through the math.
If the higher premium does not pencil out for you
Some people run the numbers and decide a marketplace dental plan is not worth it. That is a legitimate choice, especially if you are healthy, you go twice a year, and the annual maximum is low.
Just do not confuse “no insurance” with “no care.” Skipping cleanings is how a $200 problem turns into a root canal and a crown eighteen months later.
Without coverage, most people in Orange County have three paths:
- An in-house savings plan at a single practice, which discounts routine care for a flat annual fee. We run one for uninsured patients.
- Third-party financing like Cherry, which splits larger treatment into payments. We do not accept CareCredit, which trips up a couple of callers every month.
- Cash pricing with a written estimate up front, so nothing is a surprise.
Our new patient exam and X-rays are listed at $150, and pricing can change, so confirm it when you call. Whatever office you choose, ask for the number before you sit down. One of our reviewers put it well after a deep cleaning: “I especially appreciate how transparent they were with billing and showed me exactly how it was broken up.”
If cost is your main worry, how to still stay ahead of dental problems without insurance and what to ask before treatment starts are both worth ten minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions About the 2027 Covered California Dental Rates
Does the 6.2 percent increase mean my premium goes up exactly 6.2 percent?
No. 6.2 percent is a statewide weighted average across all the marketplace dental plans. Your individual plan could rise more or less, so compare your actual 2027 renewal number to what you pay today.
I get dental through my employer. Am I affected?
Not by this announcement. It applies to dental plans sold through the Covered California marketplace. Employer plans and Medi-Cal Dental are separate.
When do I have to decide?
Open enrollment runs November 1, 2026 through January 31, 2027, and the new rates take effect January 1, 2027. If you want coverage in place at the start of the year, do not wait until late January.
Is a dental plan worth it if I only go for cleanings?
It depends on the premium and the annual maximum. If you only need two cleanings and exams a year, add up twelve months of premiums and compare that to what those visits cost out of pocket, then factor in what the plan would cover if you cracked a tooth. For some people the plan wins, for others a savings plan is the better deal.
My dentist is out of network on the plan I want. Now what?
Many out-of-network offices can still see you and submit a claim so you get reimbursed. Ask the office for a fee estimate and ask your insurer what they pay out of network before you assume it is off the table.
Can I switch plans after January 1?
Open enrollment closes January 31, 2027. After that you generally need a qualifying life event, so treat January as the real deadline.
Sorting out your 2027 coverage in Huntington Beach?
If you are comparing plans for January or trying to use 2026 benefits before they reset, our team is happy to talk through what your coverage would actually cover here, no pressure either way. Kali Dental sits on Brookhurst Street in Huntington Beach and sees patients from Fountain Valley and across Orange County. You can reach us at (657) 800-5254 or book online at kalidental.com.
