Why You Need Dental Insurance plan?

Dental Insurance Plan: If you already have health insurance, having to purchase a stand-alone dental policy is undeniably frustrating. Still, it’s best to have some sort of coverage, even if it’s just preventive. Lack of dental care can seriously impact your overall health, especially as you age.

The best providers feature plans at different price points, coverage levels, and annual benefit maximums that are not too low. Make sure you’ve got all your bases covered by reading our reviews for the best dental insurance plans of 2021.

 

Our Top Picks for Best Dental Insurance Plans

• Delta Dental – Best for Braces
• Guardian Direct – Best for Major Work
• Humana – Best Value
• Spirit Dental – Best for No Waiting Periods
• 1Dental – Best Discount Dental Plan
• Cigna– Best for Seniors
• DentaQuest – Best for Routine Care
• United HealthCare Dental – Best for Short Waiting Periods
• Denali Dental – Best for Implants
• Aflac – Best Supplemental Dental Plan
• DentalPlans.com – Best Savings Plan Marketplace

 

Delta Dental

It offers multiple comprehensive coverage options within one of the largest provider networks in the country. We chose Delta Dental as the best dental insurance plan for braces because orthodontic coverage is available at several price points for both children and adults. If you are considering braces, you may consider our article on how much Invisalign costs and the alternatives available.

To get started, input your zip code on Delta Dental’s main website to see which plans, rates and benefits are available in your state. Currently, Delta offers four plans: Delta Dental PPO, Delta Dental Premier, Delta Dental PPO Plus Premier and DeltaCare USA (HMO).

 

Guardian Direct’s Dental Plan

The tiers are split into Bronze, Silver and Gold plans. Starting at $22.26 a month, the Bronze plan includes 100% preventive care coverage with no waiting period and 50% basic care coverage with a 6-month waiting period.

Complete major dental care is available with Guardian Direct’s Silver and Gold tiers. Major care includes crowns, complex extractions, oral surgery, implants and partial dentures. You do not need to meet any deductible to get major work coverage in-network. Unfortunately, a 12-month waiting period applies, but Guardian Direct will cover 50% of all major work coverage once the plan is active, up to a $1,250 limit.

Limits increase once a year, and by the third year, the maximum benefit amount will be $1,500.

 

Humana

It ranks in our list as the best value for its Loyalty Plus plan. While plans with no waiting periods and one-time deductibles tend to be very expensive, dental insurance plan Loyalty Plus features these benefits for under $30 a month in some states. There are no waiting periods on any services, including major work, and individuals only need to meet a $150 deductible once over the life of the plan.

Loyalty Plus coverage increases the longer you’re a member. Preventive care is fully covered from the start. During the first year, Humana covers 40% of routine care and 20% of major work up to a $1,000 annual maximum.

By the third year of membership, your coverage looks like this: 100% for preventive care, 70% for basic dental services, and 50% for major services with a $1,500 annual maximum.

In addition to Loyalty Plus, Humana offers six different plans at varying price points and levels of coverage, including a dental savings plan and preventive care plans.

 

Spirit Dental

It is one of the few providers on the market that extends this benefit to all levels of coverage. There are no waiting periods for dental care, including treatment options like dentures and implants.

Spirit Dental plans offer a calendar year annual maximum of up to $5,000 in select locations – a significant jump from the industry average of $1,000. This is a big relief for members who may need to finance several major services within one year like implants, dentures or periodontal disease treatment. Other coverage highlights include two to three cleanings per year, one-time $100 deductible and out-of-network coverage.

Find out more about Spirit Dental’s coverage in your state by downloading one of their brochures.

 

1Dental

It is a dental discount plan that guarantees 15% to dental insurance plan 60% savings at participating dentists and oral care specialists. Members can access up to 131,000 dental care providers through the Aetna Dental Access Network.

The three dental savings plans work as follows:

• Dental Access – 15% to 50% discount on all procedures, offering the best savings with dental specialists
• Careington Care 500 – savings of up to 60%. The highest discounts apply to preventive and basic care, meaning that you’ll save the most with general dentists.
• Preferred Plan – bundling option that includes Dental Access and 500 Series Careignton at a discount. Members get the highest savings at both specialists and dentists and access to a broader provider network.

Both Dental Access and Careington Care 500 charge a $99 annual membership fee, while the Preferred Plan comes in at $129 per year. Customers may pay on a monthly basis, but know that this will be more expensive in the long run. Additionally, 1Dental charges a one-time, $20, non-refundable setup fee on top of the membership.

 

 

Cigna’s

It is affordable Dental Preventive Plan. Members enjoy access to over 297,000 dental care locations nationwide, with monthly premiums starting at $19. The plan includes two dental exams and cleanings a year, along with routine x-rays, without deductibles or copays.

For more comprehensive coverage, Cigna offers two plan options for preventive, basic and restorative work:

• Cigna Dental 1000: Premiums start at $30 and benefit maximums are capped at 1,000 per person per year.
• Cigna Dental 1500: Premiums start at $35 and benefit maximums are capped at $1,500 per person per year. This plan includes orthodontic coverage.

 

DentaQuest

We choose as the best for routine care dental insurance due to its prevention-focused oral health and plans that include complete coverage for routine care and no waiting periods for preventive services. Personal Dental Plan covers 100% of diagnostic and preventive services, like checkups, x-rays and cleanings, with starting premiums as low as $8 in some states.

The following tiers, Personal Dental Plan Basic and Personal Dental Plus add more coverage for restorative services, including extractions, fillings, denture repairs and oral surgery. Personal Dental Plus offers the most comprehensive coverage, with a higher maximum benefit and coverage for complex dental work.

DentaQuest offers vision and dental benefits through dental insurance plan personal insurance plans and state and federal marketplaces. Access to out-of-network coverage depends entirely on the state of residence.

 

United HealthOne’s

Essential plan meets the needs of patients that require preventive and basic care but can afford to wait a short time. There are no waiting periods for preventive services, and basic care only has a four-month waiting period (most providers make you wait at least six months).

Starting at $24.56, the plan includes:

• Preventive coverage – 80% coverage from day one. Coverage increases to 100% by year two.
• Basic coverage – fillings and extractions. The policy covers 50% after four months. Coverage will increase to 80% by year two.
• No major work coverage.

Aside from the Essential plan, the company also has nine additional dental insurance plans. Most include preventive care with no waiting period. Other, more expensive options feature no waiting periods for preventive and basic services, coverage for implants and orthodontic care for adults and children.

 

Denali Dental

It offers two dental insurance plans: the Denali Summit Plan and the Denali Ridge plan. The Denali Summit plan is beneficial for patients who need to finance complex care, like braces, implants, dentures and bridges. Coverage includes 100% preventive care at the onset and 90% diagnostic, 60% major work and $6,000 maximum benefit by year four.

The Denali Ridge plan is more limited at a slightly lower premium rate. It includes 100% preventive care at the onset, 80% diagnostic, 50% major work and a $2,500 annual benefit maximum by year four. However, there is no coverage for orthodontic treatments.

 

Aflac

It focuses on a variety of supplemental insurance products for groups and individuals, including accident, cancer, critical illness, short-term disability and vision insurance. The company’s supplemental dental insurance is divided into three tiers: basic, standard and premier. The difference between the three is the number of benefits payable:

• Basic: $285 benefits payable.
• Standard: $400 benefits payable
• Premier: $450 benefits payable

Aflac’s policies are designed to supplement your dental insurance plan primary dental insurance policy and help you increase savings at the dentist’s office. There are no network restrictions – if the service is listed under covered dental treatments and procedures, Aflac will pay regardless of the provider.

 

DentalPlans.com

It is a marketplace for dental discount plans and a smaller selection of dental insurance policies. Members have access to over 140,000 dentists and discounts range from 10% to 60% on most dental procedures.

To buy a dental plan, you can search by dentist, procedure, or savings to compare the discounts you’ll get with each plan. For additional savings on specific procedures not fully covered by insurance, like orthodontia or implants, selecting the type of dental procedure will help narrow down your choices.

 

Dental Insurance Guide

In this section, we explain how dental plans work and the types of policies available on the market. We also break down the costs associated with dental care and what steps you should take to choose the right dental insurance provider.

How does dental insurance work?

Dental insurance covers costs associated with dental care, from routine cleaning and x-rays to major work, like implants and crowns. Providers are regulated at dental insurance plan the state level, which means that plan availability, benefits and rates will vary per state. Monthly premiums and coverage benefits also depend on plan type – each insurer sets its exclusions, deductibles, annual limits and waiting periods.

Most people have access to dental insurance through their employer. However, those who are uninsured or underinsured – like Medicare beneficiaries – need to purchase standalone policies. You can learn how to do this with our guide on how to get dental insurance with Medicare.

You can also purchase standalone policies directly with the insurance company or through the marketplace. Dental plans sold on Healthcare.gov have to meet the criteria set by the Affordable Care Act, which include offering coverage for pediatric dentistry, emergency services and prescription drugs.

Types of coverage

There are three types of dental care:

• Preventive care: oral exams, cleanings, sealants and x-rays
• Basic or routine care: fillings, non-routine x-rays, denture repairs and simple extractions
• Major procedures: root canals, surgical extractions, dentures, implants and braces

These terms are not standardized – you may find variations across providers that still refer to the same dental care services, such as “routine, minor and complex care”.

The percentage of coverage for each category ranges from 15% to 100%, depending on the plan. A good rule of thumb is to look for providers that cover 100-80-50: 100% preventive coverage, 80% basic work, and 50% major work.

Dental insurance also includes pre-existing conditions clauses, like congenitally missing teeth. This means that your plan won’t pay for any restorative treatment, even if the policy does cover services like implants and bridges.

Waiting periods

Once you have an active policy, providers may dental insurance plan enforce a waiting period on certain services. Although this ultimately depends on the plan type and company, standard waiting periods look a bit like this:

• Preventive services: 0 months
• Basic procedures: 6 months
• Major services: 12 to 24 months

Dental plans with no waiting periods on basic care and major dental treatment are costly. Coverage starts small and increases yearly. For example, implants are immediately covered, but the company will only pay 15%. However, if the patient waits six months or more, the company will pay 50% of the same procedure.

Most dental savings plans don’t have waiting periods. Consider these if you need immediate dental care coverage and wish to save a fraction of the cost.

 

 

How much is dental insurance?

The cost of dental insurance depends on these factors:

• Plan type
• Number of people in the policy
• Level of coverage
• Provider
• State of residence

Policyholders pay monthly premiums for their coverage, but that’s not the only factor to consider when evaluating the cost of dental care. Look at deductibles, copays, coinsurance and annual limits to determine just how much you will pay for your dental care.

Premiums

Dental plans premiums range from $17 to $96. Plans with the lowest premiums focus on 80% to 100% preventive coverage, with minimal or no coverage for basic and major procedures. Plans with high premiums tend to have low deductible rates and comprehensive coverage for preventive, basic and major work.

Deductibles

A deductible is the amount of money a policyholder is responsible for paying before their insurance coverage kicks in. In dental insurance, annual deductible rates are usually set at $50 per person and $150 per family.

Other policies charge a one-time deductible. These tend to have higher rates and a higher deductible ($100-$200), but the policyholder only needs to meet it once instead of annually.

Coinsurance

After you meet your deductible and your insurance coverage kicks in, you’re still responsible for a portion of your dental care. This is called coinsurance. Consider a dental insurance plan policy with 80% major work coverage: this means that insurance pays 80% of the procedure (up to the annual maximum limit) and the policyholder is responsible for paying the remaining 20%.

Copay

Similar to coinsurance, a copay is the amount of money you’re responsible for paying out-of-pocket. Copayments are a fixed rate, while coinsurance is always a percentage amount. Policyholders pay a fixed copayment for certain services like prescriptions and office visits. Copay rates should be clearly listed on your insurance card or policy document.

Annual maximum limits

Annual maximum limits are the most your provider will pay towards dental care in a calendar year. Most policies set limits between $1,000-$1,500, depending on plan type and service. Certain services, like orthodontia, have their own annual or lifetime limits within the policy. Once you exceed the benefit maximum, all other dental expenses payments come out of your pocket.