It depends on why your pet needs the work. A tooth broken in an accident falls on the injury side of a policy. Dental disease, like periodontal (gum) disease, is covered by some policies and left out by others. And routine cleanings count as preventive care, which standard accident and illness coverage doesn’t include, so they’re usually only paid through a wellness add-on, if at all.
State regulators put it in one line. Among the things not all pet insurance plans cover, the Alabama Department of Insurance and the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner both list “dental care not associated with an accident or injury.” Below, we’ll go through each kind of dental care, why it matters more than people think, and exactly what to check in a policy.
Why dental coverage is worth checking
Check dental coverage because periodontal disease is the most common dental condition in dogs and cats, and dental disease shows up often in claims.
Dental problems are common, and they show up in claims. According to the North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA), dental disease was the second most common condition insurers paid claims for in cats in 2025, behind only stomach and digestive problems.
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) says periodontal disease is the most common dental condition in dogs and cats, and that by the time your pet is 3 years old, “he or she will very likely have some early evidence of periodontal disease.” It gets worse with age if it isn’t managed, and the AVMA notes it’s been found alongside kidney, liver and heart muscle changes.
So if you’re buying pet insurance, it’s worth knowing which of the three kinds of dental care below your policy pays for.
Dental accidents
Pets break teeth, and sometimes jaws. The AVMA lists broken teeth and roots and a broken (fractured) jaw among the dental problems pets can have. When that damage comes from an accident, like a fall, a fight or getting hit by a car, it’s an injury.
That’s the kind of dental problem the accident side of a policy is built for. It’s also the only kind an accident-only plan could pay for, since those plans skip illness entirely. If you’re looking at accident-only pet insurance, check how its accident section handles teeth before you count on it.
Dental illness, like periodontal disease
Dental illness is where policies split. It includes periodontal disease, abscesses and infected teeth, and growths in the mouth, all of which the AVMA lists among common pet dental problems.
Here’s how periodontal disease works, per the AVMA. It starts with plaque that hardens into tartar. Tartar above the gumline is easy to see, but plaque and tartar below the gumline set the stage for infection and damage to the jawbone and the tissue that holds teeth in place. Vets grade it on a scale from 0 (normal) to 4 (severe), and treating it involves a thorough cleaning, sometimes with x-rays to see how far it’s gone.
Some pet insurance policies cover this kind of dental illness as part of accident and illness coverage. Others exclude it. You’ll only know by reading the policy’s exclusions and limits.
The pre-existing trap
Dental disease is also easy to lose to a pre-existing condition exclusion. Under the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Pet Insurance Model Act, a condition counts as pre-existing if, before your coverage started or during a waiting period, a vet gave advice about it, your pet was treated for it, or there were signs or symptoms of it.
Put that next to the AVMA’s point that most pets show early signs of periodontal disease by age 3. If your vet’s notes mention tartar or gum inflammation before your policy begins, a later claim for gum disease can be excluded. That’s one of the strongest reasons to enroll while your pet is young. Our guide to pet insurance and pre-existing conditions covers how insurers decide.
Routine dental cleanings
A routine cleaning is the dental version of a checkup. The AVMA describes it as scaling to remove plaque and tartar, then polishing, done under anesthesia because most dental disease sits below the gumline where it can’t be cleaned or checked on an awake pet. X-rays may be needed too. The AVMA also notes that the American Veterinary Dental College doesn’t recommend cleanings without anesthesia.
Because a routine cleaning is preventive care, it’s usually outside accident and illness coverage. Some policies offer wellness benefits that put money toward routine care, and they cost a lot more. In 2025, NAPHIA’s averages for plans with wellness built in were $1,414 a year for dogs and $859 for cats, compared with $836 and $435 for accident and illness alone. That’s $578 more a year for a dog and $424 more for a cat.
Before you pay for wellness to cover cleanings, ask your vet what a cleaning and a checkup cost at their practice and add up what you’d spend in a year. If the add-on costs more than that, you’re better off paying for routine care yourself.
Two more things to know about wellness. Under the NAIC model law, wellness benefits written into an insurance policy count as insurance, but a wellness program sold separately isn’t insurance at all. And some vet offices sell their own wellness plans for routine care, according to the Alabama Department of Insurance.
What to check in a policy before you buy
Check whether dental illness, periodontal disease by name, is covered or excluded, whether cleanings count, how extractions are handled, and the illness waiting period.
Dental coverage lives in the fine print, so read these parts of any policy you’re considering. In states that follow the NAIC model law, insurers have to give you a document titled “Insurer Disclosure of Important Policy Provisions” that sums up the main exclusions, waiting periods and limits. It’s a good place to start, though dental terms may only show up in the policy’s full exclusions section.
- Is dental illness covered, excluded or limited? Look for periodontal disease by name in the exclusions and limits.
- Does dental illness coverage depend on anything you have to do, like having a yearly dental exam on record? The AVMA recommends a dental check at least once a year anyway, so it’s worth doing either way.
- Are cleanings covered at all, and only under a wellness add-on?
- If your vet orders a cleaning to treat gum disease, does the policy treat it as illness treatment or as routine care?
- Are extractions covered when they’re caused by disease, by an injury, or both?
- Does the accident coverage include teeth?
- What’s in your pet’s records right now? Anything dental noted before coverage starts can be treated as pre-existing.
- Is there a waiting period for illness? Under the model law it can be up to 30 days, and it has to be disclosed before you buy.
When you’re ready, compare pet insurance quotes and check the dental terms on each one. To see what coverage costs overall, read our guide to how much pet insurance costs. If you’re still deciding whether to buy at all, is pet insurance worth it walks through the math. More guides are on our pet insurance hub.
Keeping your pet’s teeth healthy either way
Insurance or not, the cheapest dental problem is the one you prevent. The AVMA says regular brushing is “the single most effective thing you can do” to keep your pet’s teeth healthy between cleanings. Daily is best, but brushing several times a week can still help. Ask your vet before relying on dental treats, products or special diets, since not all of them work.
The AVMA also recommends a vet check of your pet’s teeth and gums at least once a year, and sooner if you notice any of these:
- Bad breath
- Broken or loose teeth
- Teeth that are discolored or covered in tartar
- Abnormal chewing, drooling or dropping food
- Eating less or refusing food
- Pain, bleeding or swelling in or around the mouth
Frequently asked questions
Does pet insurance cover teeth cleaning?
Usually not under standard accident and illness coverage, because a routine cleaning is preventive care. Some policies offer wellness benefits that help pay for routine care, but they cost a lot more. In 2025, plans with wellness built in averaged $578 more a year for dogs and $424 more for cats, per NAPHIA.
Does pet insurance cover tooth extractions?
It depends on why the tooth is coming out. An extraction after an accident falls on the injury side of a policy. One caused by dental disease is only covered if the policy includes dental illness. Check both before you buy.
Does pet insurance cover periodontal disease?
Some policies do and some don’t, so read the exclusions and limits. Even with a policy that covers it, periodontal disease can be excluded as pre-existing if your pet’s records show signs of it before coverage started.
Does accident-only pet insurance cover dental?
Accident-only plans skip illness, so they won’t pay for dental disease. Whether one pays for a tooth broken in an accident depends on how its accident section handles teeth, so check before you buy.
Does pet insurance cover dental for cats?
Cat coverage splits the same way: injuries, dental illness and cleanings are each handled differently, so check all three. It matters more than you might think: dental disease was the second most common condition insurers paid claims for in cats in 2025, according to NAPHIA.
Is dental disease a pre-existing condition?
It can be. Under the NAIC model law, a condition is pre-existing if your pet had signs or symptoms of it, or got advice or treatment for it, before coverage began or during a waiting period. Since most pets show early signs of periodontal disease by age 3, enrolling young helps.
Do I need yearly dental exams for pet insurance to cover dental?
Check the policy wording, since any conditions on dental coverage will be spelled out there. Either way, the AVMA recommends having a vet check your pet’s teeth and gums at least once a year.
Sources
- North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA), State of the Industry Report 2026, published June 2026 and covering the 2025 calendar year. Most common conditions claimed for cats and average premiums by plan type.
- American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), Pet dental care. Common dental problems, periodontal disease, how cleanings are done, home care and the recommendation for a yearly dental check.
- National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), Pet Insurance Model Act (Model #633), adopted Summer 2022. Definitions of preexisting condition, waiting period and wellness program (Section 3), the “Insurer Disclosure of Important Policy Provisions” document (Section 4), waiting period limits (Section 5) and wellness benefits in a policy (Section 6).
- Alabama Department of Insurance, consumer release on pet insurance, February 2018, built on NAIC tips. Common exclusions, including dental care not associated with an accident or injury, and vet office wellness plans.
- Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner, Pet insurance, consumer page. Services that may not be covered, including preventive care and dental care not associated with an accident or injury.
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