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The best dental insurance companies are Anthem and Guardian, according to our analysis of large dental insurers. Anthem’s Essential Choice PPO Platinum plan received five out of five stars in our evaluation. Pc Raw Materials
We analyzed costs, deductibles, provider networks, waiting periods, coverage and reimbursement levels to find the best dental insurance companies. These are all factors you should take into account when choosing a dental insurance company.
How We Chose the Best Dental Insurance Companies
We analyzed costs and benefits information for 37 stand-alone dental insurance plans. We looked at price quotes, coverage limits and deductibles, and reimbursement levels. Our editorial content is not influenced by advertisers and we use data-driven methodologies so all companies are measured equally. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and the methodology for the ratings below.
With a good price, wide range of benefits and no waiting periods, this plan deserves consideration. Make sure to read the fine print because maximum payouts don’t start until year 3 for many services. Also, you’ll want to stay within the Ameritas dental network, because out-of-network reimbursement can be low.
$50 per person, up to $150 per family
$50 per person, up to $150 per family
$50 per person, up to $150 per family
Anthem’s Essential Choice PPO Platinum is our top pick because of its ample benefits. The Platinum plan also pays a higher percentage of dental costs compared to many competitors. We also rate Anthem’s Essential Choice PPO Gold and Silver plans highly if you’re looking for an option with lower premiums, though they provide lower coverage than the Platinum plan.
We like Guardian’s Diamond dental plan because of its price and that it covers dental work that some competitors don’t provide. You don’t pay a deductible if you stay within your plan’s provider network. Our analysis also found that Guardian has other excellent coverage options, including the Achiever plan, which costs less than a Diamond plan but also doesn’t provide as much coverage.
More: Guardian Dental Insurance Review
PrimeStar Complete has a wide range of benefits and no waiting periods, which we think makes it stand out among competitors.
The Cigna Dental Preventive plan has low premiums and no deductibles or coverage maximums, which we view as a great combination for preventive plan. Preventive care plans are significantly cheaper than comprehensive plans but you also don’t get coverage for most dental care.
More: Cigna Dental Insurance Review
Our analysis found that Humana Preventive Value is a good low-cost plan for buyers who put a priority on preventive and basic care, and who are OK with not having insurance for major dental problems. Preventive plans often don’t go beyond cleanings and checkups but Humana’s plan includes basic dental care like fillings and simple extractions, which we think is a great added bonus for a preventive plan.
More: Humana Dental Insurance Review
Spirit Dental’s Core PPO plan is a good value considering there are no waiting periods for coverage and up to three dental cleanings per year. Though we like the plan, the plan’s benefit levels start low and increase over time, so you don’t get full benefits until you’ve had the plan for two years.
UnitedHealthcare’s DentalWise 2000 covers dental implants at 50% after you reach your deductible, which we found is better than many competitors.
Dental insurance plans help cover the costs of dental services. Plans usually include costs like monthly premiums and annual or lifetime deductibles, in addition to copayments or coinsurance. Dental insurance companies negotiate fees with the providers in their networks to help keep costs low. Dental insurance is typically separate from a health insurance plan.
Three types of dental insurance plans are: dental preferred provider organization (DPPO), dental health maintenance organization (DHMO) and fee-for-service plans. Here is how they vary.
A DPPO is a plan with a provider network, but you’re able to get care outside of the dental network at a higher cost.
A DHMO requires you to stay within the plan’s provider network to get help paying for that dental care. Your insurance likely won’t cover it if you go outside of the provider network.
Fee-for-service dental insurance plans, also called indemnity plans, don’t have provider networks and they let you see any dentist. These plans pay a percentage of the service and you pick up the rest of the costs.
A fourth option is a discount plan, which isn’t dental insurance but offers reduced fees at participating dentists. You pay all the costs without help from an insurance company, but you fork over less money for dental care at providers that accept the dental discount plan than if you didn’t have a discount plan.
While coverage depends on the insurance provider, care and procedures commonly covered by dental insurance include:
Dental insurance typically doesn’t cover cosmetic dentistry, which you may want to improve your smile, such as dental bonding and veneers.
Dental insurance plans also may not cover teeth whitening and orthodontia (braces). Dental plans that cover these services may have coverage limits, such as lifetime braces coverage of $1,000 and limit that to children.
Dental insurance works by helping to pay for care that’s covered, such as preventive cleanings, basic care like fillings and major care like crowns and oral surgery. What exactly a policy covers varies.
A comprehensive dental plan generally covers basic and major dental care, while a preventive care plan generally only pays for cleanings and similar care. Preventive care is typically covered at 100%, but basic care is often reimbursed at 80% and major care may get 50% reimbursement.
You pay a premium to have dental insurance unless your employer offers free coverage as part of its benefits package. A premium gives you coverage, but you still usually need to pay for dental services through out-of-pocket costs like copayments, deductibles and coinsurance.
Your dental insurance company picks up its portion of the costs and you pay the rest of the dental bill through out-of-pocket costs when you receive care. Here are four types of out-of-pocket dental insurance costs.
The deductible may be an annual or lifetime amount that you must pay for dental care before the plan begins to kick in money. Annual dental insurance deductibles are typically less than $100. Once you reach that amount, the dental insurance company picks up its part of the dental care bill.
Once you exceed your deductible, you typically reach the coinsurance stage, which is when you pay a percentage of the dental care bill and the dental insurance picks up the rest. Dental insurance coinsurance varies based on the policy and the type of care.
A dental insurance copayment is what you pay at the time of your visit. A copay is usually $20 or so and dental insurance companies often don’t charge copayments for preventive care.
Dental insurance policies have annual maximum limits, which is the most the plan will pay for care over the year. Dental policies may have both overall annual maximums and annual maximums for specific care, such as dentures or braces.
The average cost of dental insurance is $46 a month but the exact price varies depending on the type of coverage. The average dental insurance cost is $52 a month for comprehensive dental insurance and $26 a month for a preventive care plan.
I’ve found that people don’t generally factor in the deductible and annual maximum coverage when choosing a dental plan. Many dental plans don’t start paying for dental care costs until you reach your deductible. A plan’s annual maximum allowance puts a cap on what a dental policy will pay in a year. I’d suggest weighing those numbers when comparing dental insurance plans as closely as premiums.
If you’re concerned about whether your dentist is considered in network, I would suggest asking your provider which specific dental insurance plans they accept. If your dentist isn’t considered in-network, you will likely pay more when you need dental care, so you may want to switch to an in-network dentist.
Consider your current and future dental needs when comparing dental plans. Preventive services are typically covered and include examinations, X-rays, teeth cleaning, fluoride treatment and sealants. Whether and how much a dental plan covers basic and major care varies by plan. Not all plans cover orthodontic coverage, while some include coverage for children.
Keep an eye on the coinsurance when deciding on a dental insurance plan. I’ve seen many dental plans that have graded benefits that increase insurance reimbursement over two or three years. And if you don’t keep the plan for a few years, you won’t reach the best reimbursement levels. I’d suggest choosing a good coinsurance level from the start. You never know when a significant dental problem will occur.
Here are the main ways to purchase dental coverage.
To find the best dental insurance companies, we scored 37 stand-alone dental insurance plans. We got quotes from each company and dug into each dental plan to find out what each one covers, what they reimburse for different types of coverage, and coverage limits and deductibles. Only the top-scoring plans from each company are shown. Benefit details can vary by state, so check the plan brochure for details. Ratings are based on the following criteria:
There are many options for standalone dental insurance plans that can fit any budget. You can find these plans directly from insurance companies or through the federal Affordable Care Act marketplace. You can generally compare plans and buy online.
Dental insurance is worth purchasing if the benefits are robust enough to provide a good financial safety net.
Dental insurance is especially worth it if the plan covers 100% of preventive care. In fact, one study observed a link between gum disease and cardiovascular disease. Adding a dental insurance plan can be an excellent way to round out your health benefits, avoid more serious dental issues and keep your medical costs low.
Dental plans may cover teeth whitening, but most don’t.
One example of a dental insurance plan with teeth whitening coverage is Guardian’s Diamond plan. That dental plan pays 50% of the costs for teeth whitening after a six-month waiting period.
Getting a basic cleaning can cost up to $200 and panoramic dental X-rays can reach $200, according to Humana. And that’s just for preventive services.
Dental crowns can cost as much as $2,000 per tooth, root canals can reach $1,500 and high-quality dentures can cost as much as $8,000.
These costs can escalate depending on what other types of dental work you need. Dental insurance helps offset some, most or all of those costs, depending on your coverage and dental work.
Some dental insurance policies cover dental implants. Policies that cover dental implants may cover as much as 50% of the care up to the policy’s annual maximum limit, but these policies may have a waiting period of 12 months before they cover implants.
High Temperature Resistant Lcp Whether a dental HMO or dental PPO is best depends on whether you want to get out-of-network care. A dental PPO might be better if you want the flexibility of getting care outside of the policy’s provider network. But a dental HMO would likely be a better option if you plan on staying within a plan’s network and want cheaper premiums.