The best dental insurance plans offer access to a wide network of dentists, reasonable annual benefit maximization and the possibility of low premiums.
Dental treatment is often incredibly expensive. According to the American Dental Association, Americans spend a total of $124 billion on dentistry.
Paying for this care is especially difficult if you don’t have dental insurance or a dental savings plan to help reduce your bills, but skipping treatment altogether is generally not a good idea.
Dental insurance helps cover the cost of preventive dental care while minimizing damage to expensive procedures like crowns, bridges and fillings.
It’s important to shop around to find a dental insurance company that has plans that offer the coverage you need without low annual caps or exclusions that could prevent you from getting any value.
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What is dental insurance?
Dental insurance plans help cover the cost of dental services. Plans may include fees such as monthly premiums and annual or lifetime deductibles in addition to co-payments or co-insurance.
Dental insurance companies negotiate fees with providers in their network to help keep your costs.
A dental plan is usually separate from your health insurance plan. If you receive health insurance through an employer, you may be offered dental insurance as part of your employment benefits package or purchased separately from the insurance company.
Some dental plans may have waiting periods before your coverage begins or may exclude coverage for pre-existing conditions.
Most plans also have an annual maximum allowance, which limits the amount the insurer can contribute to a member’s dental expenses in a year.
What is the best dental insurance company?
Cigna has a variety of plans that can fit almost anyone’s needs and budget, as well as a large network of over 92,000 dentists. If you want a provider with a broad reach and financial strength, you can’t go wrong with Cigna.
Top 8 Best Dental Insurance Companies
Best dental insurance companies based on editorial ratings.
Aetna
Aetna is a Connecticut-based insurer founded in 1853. Today, Aetna has more than 30 million customers worldwide
- Dental plans available
Aetna offers a variety of dental plans, including:
DHMO Plan: Pay less for your plan but be sure to visit a dentist in your network and get pre-authorization if you need to be referred for specialty care.
PPO Plans: These tend to be more expensive and require you to pay 50% or more of the cost of your care. You can see an out-of-network dentist with these plans, but you can see many in-network dentists at discounted rates. If you go out of network, you have to pay and pay later.
Hybrid Plans: These offer some features of DHMO plans and some features of PPO plans
Spirit Dental
Spirit Dental is the online storefront for Direct Benefits, a company started in 2001 by Tom Meyer with the mission of making dental coverage affordable for all Americans.
While Direct Benefits acts as a broker for employee benefits and advisors, Spirit Dental is for online consumers who can purchase coverage on the website or through one of many agents and providers nationwide.
Dental plans available
Also offers different plans:
Spirit Dental PPO Plan: Choose any provider within the Ameritus Classic network.
Spirit Choice Plan: Choose your own dentist; There is no network you have to be on. If you choose to stay in-network while a member of the Choice Plan, you can receive additional savings and discounts.
Humana
Dental plans available
Humana offers a variety of coverages and packages, including:
Dental Loyalty Plus Package: This package has a one-time discount of $150 per individual or $450 per family. Unlike other plans where the deductible must be paid annually, the deductible lasts as long as you keep the plan.
Plan maximum benefit is $1,000 in first year; Second year is $1,250; and $1,500 in the third year. Preventive services are covered at 100%, while basic services start with 40% coverage.
Coverage of basic services goes up to 70% by the third year and major services start at 20% coverage and go up to 50% coverage in the third year.
Humana Preventive Plus Package for Veterans: This is a PPO plan that gives you access to any dentist. The annual maximum benefit is $1,000, and the plan covers 100% of routine cleanings and x-rays.
Complete Dental: There is no deductible for in-network preventive services in this PPO plan For out-of-network care, the deductible is $50 per individual or $150 per family.
Unfortunately, Humana plans are conservativeUli is not covered and sealants are not covered for patients above 14 years of age.
Cigna
Cigna Insurance was founded in 1792 and offers a variety of protections for consumers, including dental, life, health and disability insurance.
Dental plans available
Plans available through Cigna include the following:
MyCigna Dental Preventive Plan: Provides 100% coverage for preventive and clinical care. The plan also offers discounts on restorative, basic coverage and orthodontic services through a network of dentists. There is no deductible, and no maximum annual benefit.
MySigna Dental 1000: There is an individual $50 and a family deductible of $150. The plan provides insurance coverage for preventive care, diagnosis and remedial care.
It offers benefits of up to $1,000 annually and discounts on orthodontic work if you use a dentist in your network. However, the plan does not offer conservative coverage.
MySigna Dental 1500: This plan is similar to the Dental 1000 plan, except with additional coverage on lifetime orthodontic care and a $1,500 annual maximum.
Metlife
MetLife is one of the largest insurance providers in the world. Today, more than 100 million MetLife customers receive multiple types of coverage, including dental insurance. MetLife offers dental insurance for groups and individuals.
Dental plans available
MetLife has a variety of dental plans, including:
MetLife 2-9 Dental: Participants in this plan benefit from fixed fees within a network of dentists. The consultation fee is below average and covers more than 400 procedures. The policy comes with a $50 personal deductible.
MetLife PPO Plans: PPO plans allow you to see in-network and out-of-network dentists. There is no paperwork when you see an out-of-network provider until your dentist submits your claim for you. And most preventive services are 100% covered in-network.
Ameritas
Ameritas offers a variety of dental plans and discount plans, including indemnity plans.
Dental plans available
Here are some examples of dental plans available from Ameritas.
My Dental Plan: This plan can be customized based on coverage requirements. You can customize the plan for one or two cleanings per year and choose to cover up to 100% preventive care.
For basic care, you have the option of up to 80% coverage. For Prime Care, you will be covered up to 50% depending on the plan you choose. The annual maximum goes up to $1,500 and you have to deduct $50 per person.
Primestar Advantage Plus: With this plan, you get coverage for check-ups, cleanings, X-rays and fluoride treatments and preventive care including sealants for those below 16 years of age from day one. There is a $50 deductible per person per calendar year and a $1,000 or $2,000 calendar year maximum benefit.
Primestar Advantage: This plan is similar to Primestar Advantage Plus. The deductible for the calendar year is $50 and the maximum benefit is $1,000
United Health Care
UnitedHealthcare is one of the leading health insurers and dental insurers in the United States.
Dental plans available
Plan options for UnitedHealthcare customers include the following:
Essential Dentistry: This affordable plan offers 80% coverage for preventive care services from day one. You also get 50% coverage for basic services after four months of waiting.
Major services are not covered and your insurance policy has an annual maximum payout of $1,000. A person can also deduct $50 per person.
Primary Dentistry: With this plan, you will pay higher premiums but benefit from more coverage for basic services. The policy pays 100% of preventive care costs from day one.
For basic services, you will get 50% coverage on the first day. Also has a $1,000 annual maximum payout and a $50 deductible, and does not include major services.
Premier Choice Dental: With Premier Choice Dental, you get 100% coverage for preventive care on day one. You also get 50% coverage for basic services on day one.
Unlike other policies, core services are covered You get 10% coverage on the first day; and 50% coverage after two years. This policy has a $1,500 annual maximum, and a $50 deductible.
Delta Dental
Delta Dental is one of the best dental insurance companies in the country. Plan participants have access to more than 145,000 dentists in more than 292,000 locations and more than 60 million Americans with their own dentist.DeltaLike dental.
Dental plans available
Delta Dental offers a variety of plans including the following:
Dental Gold PPO Plan for All: This plan offers 60% coverage for preventive care in the first year and 100% coverage for the third year and beyond. For basic care, policyholders get 50% coverage in the first year and 80% in the third year, and for major care you get 0% coverage in the first year and 50% in the third year.
Delta Dental PPO: This moderately priced plan gives you the option of getting care at any licensed dentist. However, if you find a dentist within the PPO network, you will benefit from discounted rates.
With this plan there is no waiting period, no annual maximum and no deductible, and you don’t need to submit a claim form.
Each procedure has a set copay, so you know exactly what you’ll pay for preventive and major services before you see your dentist. With this plan, you should choose a primary care dentist to get the most out of your treatment.
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