Submit MetLife dental claims electronically through your clearinghouse for the fastest payment, or by mail to the MetLife Dental Claims Unit, P.O. Box 981282, El Paso, TX 79998-1282. Providers handle eligibility, claim status, and pre-treatment estimates through the MetDental portal. Here is the full reference, plus how to stop chasing MetLife claims.
Last updated October 2026 · Reviewed by the PracticeAlpha billing team · Source: MetLife dental provider materials
Get a free AR analysisAddresses and payer IDs change, so confirm the current details on MetLife's provider materials before you rely on them.
| Detail | MetLife dental |
|---|---|
| Claims mailing address | MetLife Dental Claims Unit, P.O. Box 981282, El Paso, TX 79998-1282 |
| Dental claims fax | 859-389-6505 appears in older MetLife materials only; confirm before faxing and submit electronically where possible |
| Electronic payer ID | 65978 |
| Provider portal | MetDental, dentalprovider.metlife.com |
| Main network | MetLife PDP Plus |
| Fastest method | Electronic via clearinghouse; paper/fax as backup |
| Timely filing | Set by the plan or group (for example, the federal FEDVIP plan allows 13 months); confirm in the patient's plan |
| Provider phone | 877-638-3379 (877-MET-DDS9); claims and payment questions 800-942-0854, Mon to Fri 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET |
| Older address | Older ID cards show P.O. Box 14588, Lexington, KY; follow the address on the patient's current card |
Enter the date of service to see the filing deadline and how many days are left. MetLife sets the limit by plan or group.
Limits are the ones MetLife publishes, as summarized on this page; the patient's own plan documents win if they differ. Corrected claims and appeals have their own deadlines (see below).
Have claims close to the limit? Free AR analysisSend us your aging list. We will tell you which MetLife claims are still recoverable, what is holding each one up, and what a fix is worth. Free, no obligation.
Get a free AR analysisWe handle MetLife provider credentialing and enrollment for dental practices and new associates, from the application to the effective date, so claims stop coming back out of network.
MetLife credentialing →Electronic submission is the fastest way to get MetLife dental claims paid. Send them through your clearinghouse using MetLife's dental payer ID (commonly 65978, confirm it in your clearinghouse's payer list), and you get faster processing, electronic remittance, and a clean audit trail. Paper claims go to the MetLife Dental Claims Unit, P.O. Box 981282, El Paso, TX 79998-1282. Paper should be the backup, not the default.
Attach what the claim needs before it goes out. For anything beyond a basic diagnostic or preventive service, include the supporting documentation the procedure requires (radiographs, perio charting, narratives) so the claim is not held or denied for missing records.
MetDental (dentalprovider.metlife.com) is where dental offices manage the MetLife relationship. Use it to verify eligibility and remaining plan maximums, submit and track claims, and request pre-treatment estimates before a big case. MetLife's main dental network is PDP Plus. Checking eligibility and the annual maximum on MetDental before the visit is the single best way to avoid a surprise denial or a bad patient estimate.
Spending your front desk's time chasing MetLife claims and eligibility? We submit clean, verify before the visit, and work every denial to payment. See what your MetLife AR is leaking.
Get a free AR analysisMetLife does not publish one filing limit for every plan. The limit is set by the plan or group: MetLife's federal FEDVIP dental plan, for example, requires claims within 13 months of the service. Check the patient's plan, and do not let any claim sit unsubmitted.
MetLife's plan materials strongly recommend a pretreatment estimate when the cost is expected to exceed $300. Send it on a claim form with the proposed treatment plan and supporting documentation, or submit it online through the provider portal. On the federal plan, periodontal services, crowns, bridges, inlays and onlays, veneers, and implants go through a dental consultant review, so send the x-rays and charting with the estimate rather than waiting to be asked.
For how to get these right the first time, see our guides to predeterminations and claim attachments.
MetLife plans generally pay based on the less costly service when it would produce a professionally acceptable result. MetLife's own example is a removable partial denture paid instead of a fixed bridge when several teeth are missing in the same arch. Under the federal plan, the dentist may bill the patient the difference even when the dentist is in network, so set expectations before treatment.
Documentation that shows why the more involved treatment was needed is what protects the claim. See how downgrades work.
Appeal instructions are printed on the explanation of benefits for each plan. On the federal FEDVIP plan, appeals go to MetLife Dental Claims Appeals, P.O. Box 14589, Lexington, KY 40512, within 180 days of the decision. For what makes an appeal work, see our dental appeals guide.
Paper MetLife dental claims go to the MetLife Dental Claims Unit, P.O. Box 981282, El Paso, TX 79998-1282. Older ID cards show P.O. Box 14588, Lexington, KY, so follow the address on the patient's current card. Electronic submission to payer ID 65978 is faster and recommended.
Send them through your clearinghouse using MetLife's dental payer ID, 65978. Providers manage eligibility, claim status, and estimates on the MetDental portal at dentalprovider.metlife.com.
MetDental (dentalprovider.metlife.com) lets dental offices check eligibility and plan maximums, submit and track claims, and request pre-treatment estimates. MetLife's main dental network is PDP Plus.
It is set by the plan or group rather than one MetLife-wide rule. For example, MetLife's federal FEDVIP plan requires claims within 13 months of the service. Check the patient's plan documents and submit promptly.
Yes. MetDental moved to dentalprovider.metlife.com, and the old metdental.metlife.com address redirects there. Use the new address for eligibility, claims, and estimates.
MetLife's dental line is 877-638-3379 (877-MET-DDS9). For claims and payment questions, MetLife lists 800-942-0854, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern.
Yes. Since October 18, 2025, members whose PPO dental coverage is insured or administered by MetLife have in-network access to the DHA network, with some states starting later and others pending state approval.