Does UC SHIP Cover Dental? Coverage, Limits, and Networks

Yes, UC SHIP covers dental. Dental benefits are bundled with medical and vision in the University of California Student Health Insurance Plan at no additional premium, and most campuses provide the dental benefit through Delta Dental PPO. UC Berkeley and UC Irvine are the exceptions, both using MetLife.¹²³

What the Dental Plan Covers

On the standard Delta Dental PPO plan used at Davis, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, and the UC College of the Law, services fall into three tiers with different in-network coverage levels.¹

Preventive and diagnostic care is covered at 100% with no deductible. This includes oral exams, cleanings, X-rays, and fluoride treatments. Cleanings and exams are generally limited to twice per plan year, and bitewing X-rays to once per year.⁴
Basic services are covered at 80%. This tier includes fillings, simple extractions, oral surgery (including wisdom teeth removal), root canals, periodontic (gum) treatment, and sealants.⁵
Major services are covered at 70%. Crowns, inlays, onlays, bridges, dentures, and implants fall here.⁶

Occlusal guards (night guards for teeth grinding) are covered at 60%.⁵ Emergency dental care, including treatment for sports injuries and urgent crown or cavity repairs, is covered under the applicable service tier.⁷ There are no waiting periods for any covered services, though multi-stage procedures started before your SHIP coverage effective date generally aren’t covered.

Annual Maximum and Deductible

The standard Delta Dental plan pays up to $1,000 per member per plan year when you see in-network PPO dentists, and up to $750 if you go out of network, with the combined total capped at $1,000.⁸ The deductible is $25 per person in network and $50 out of network, and it doesn’t apply to preventive and diagnostic care.⁹

Two campuses are moving beyond the $1,000 cap. UC Santa Barbara already offers a $1,200 in-network maximum (with a $700 out-of-network maximum),¹⁰ and UCLA’s benefit summary indicates the in-network maximum is rising to $1,200 for the 2026–27 plan year.⁹

In-Network Versus Out-of-Network

You can see any licensed dentist on UC SHIP, no referral required. But the cost difference for going out of network is significant. Using UCSF’s plan as a representative example, preventive care drops from 100% to 80% coverage, basic services from 80% to 60%, and major services from 70% to 40%.¹¹

The other reason to stay in network is balance billing. Out-of-network dentists can charge you the difference between their usual fee and what Delta Dental pays. In-network PPO dentists accept the plan’s contracted fee as payment in full, so there’s no surprise balance, and they file claims for you.¹¹

What UC SHIP Dental Doesn’t Cover

Orthodontics (braces, Invisalign) and maxillofacial prosthetics are excluded from the standard plan.⁹²⁵ The Evidence of Coverage document for your campus, available through student health services or at myucship.org, has the full exclusion list.

How UC Berkeley’s Plan Differs

Berkeley students are on MetLife PDP Plus rather than Delta Dental, and the standout difference is the annual benefit maximum: $2,000 per person, twice the standard SHIP cap.¹² Coverage percentages match the Delta Dental plan (100% preventive in network, 80% basic, 70% major), and the deductible structure is the same. Berkeley students use their Wellfleet member ID at the dentist, not a Delta Dental number. Dental care isn’t offered at the Tang Center, but over 500 participating MetLife dentists practice within five miles of campus.²

Using Your Dental Benefit

If you’re on the Delta Dental plan, your dental ID is your Anthem Blue Cross member ID with the “XDP” prefix removed. An Anthem ID of “XDPCA1234567” becomes a Delta Dental ID of “CA1234567.”⁴ You can print an ID card from Delta Dental’s website, pull it up in the Delta Dental mobile app, or request one at (800) 765-6003.¹³

Book an appointment with any dentist and give them your dental ID. In-network PPO dentists file claims directly. At an out-of-network provider, you may need to pay upfront and submit a Delta Dental claim form yourself; claims must be filed within 12 months of the service date.¹⁴¹⁵

Dependents and Waiving Dental Coverage

Dental coverage extends to enrolled dependents: legal spouses, registered domestic partners, and children under age 26. Dependent children who are incapable of self-sustaining employment due to a certified physical or mental condition may stay covered past 26. You’ll need to provide documentation such as a marriage or birth certificate at enrollment. Dependents receive the same coverage levels and deductible structure as the student.¹

You can’t waive dental on its own. UC SHIP is a single bundle, so waiving the plan during the designated waiver period (which requires qualifying alternative insurance) means giving up medical, dental, and vision together.¹⁶ Before opting out, compare your alternative plan’s dental benefits against what SHIP provides.¹⁷

1
MyUCSHIP.org. UC SHIP Delta Dental Benefit Booklet
2
UC Berkeley University Health Services. SHIP Dental Benefits
3
UC Irvine Student Health Center. UC Irvine SHIP Benefits Overview
4
UC Santa Cruz Cowell Student Health Center. Dental and Vision Reference
5
MyUCSHIP.org. UC SHIP Delta Dental Benefit Highlights Flyer
6
UC Davis Student Health and Counseling Services. UC SHIP Dental Benefits
7
Westwood Village Smiles. UC SHIP Dentist
8
UCSD Student Health and Well-Being. UC SHIP Brochure
9
UCLA Arthur Ashe Student Health and Wellness Center. Dental Plan
10
MyUCSHIP.org. UC Santa Barbara Dental Coverage
11
UCSF Student Mental Health. Dental Care
12
UC Berkeley University Health Services. SHIP MetLife Plan Summary
13
MyUCSHIP.org. UC Los Angeles Dental Coverage
14
MyUCSHIP.org. UCLA Filing Claims
15
UCLA Arthur Ashe Student Health and Wellness Center. UC SHIP Dental Benefit Booklet
16
UCSD Student Health and Well-Being. Waive UC SHIP
17
UCSF Student Mental Health. Insurance Waiver