Benjamin L. Palla, DMD
Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons (Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (Dentist))
1301 20th St Ste 400
Santa Monica, CA 90404
Who else practices at this address →
Los Angeles County includes primary care (7% of residents) and mental health (13% of residents) shortage areas. About shortage areas
Medicare and federal program status
Opted out of Medicare from March 20, 2026 through March 20, 2028. Medicare does not pay for this clinician’s services: patients with Medicare sign a private contract and pay the clinician directly. They can still order tests and refer Medicare patients to other providers.
Source: CMS Medicare Opt Out Affidavits (record last updated May 15, 2026). Opting out is a legal choice many clinicians make, often to run a cash or concierge practice.
At a glance
- In the NPI registry since
- 2018
The NPI date is when this clinician registered for a National Provider Identifier, the billing number used on health claims. It is not a license, graduation or board-certification date. What an NPI is
Education and training
- 2018Registered with an NPI (national billing number; not a license date)
Medicare’s Care Compare data doesn’t list this clinician’s medical school. Undergraduate school, residency, fellowship, licensing exams and board certification aren’t in public federal data. Board certification can be confirmed with the certifying board (ABMS member boards for MDs, AOA boards for DOs).
Specialties and state licenses
-
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (Dentist) primary
CA license DDS109926
As reported to the NPI registry. To confirm a license is current, check the state medical board.
Medicare prescriptions
| Drug | Prescriptions |
|---|---|
| Chlorhexidine Gluconate Other prescribers in Santa Monica, CA | 40 |
| Amoxicillin-Clavulanate Potass (amoxicillin/potassium clav) Other prescribers in Santa Monica, CA | 21 |
| Ibuprofen Other prescribers in Santa Monica, CA | 13 |
Prescriptions filled under Medicare Part D, including refills. CMS leaves out drugs prescribed fewer than 11 times.
Payments from drug and device companies
In 2025, 7 companies reported 15 payments worth $7,358 in total to this clinician.
| Straumann USA LLC | $7,000 |
|---|---|
| Pacira Pharmaceuticals Incorporated | $122 |
| Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated | $98.94 |
| Axogen | $56.34 |
| Geistlich Pharma, North America, Inc. | $35.37 |
| Stryker Corporation | $22.63 |
| Henry Schein, Inc. | $22.40 |
| Compensation for services other than consulting (speaking, faculty) | $7,000 |
|---|---|
| Food and Beverage | $358 |
What the payments were for
| Company | What it was for | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Straumann USA LLC Dec 12, 2025 | Compensation for services other than consulting (speaking, faculty) | $5,000 |
| Straumann USA LLC Sep 26, 2025 | Compensation for services other than consulting (speaking, faculty) | $2,000 |
Each payment as the company reported it, with the products it named. Meals are counted in the totals above but not listed one by one.
From CMS Open Payments. A payment is not evidence of wrongdoing; many are for consulting, teaching or meals. Clinicians can review and dispute their records with CMS.