7 Best Dental Insurance Companies

With a few exceptions, health insurance plans do not typically include coverage for dental procedures. Though you might receive some financial benefits for oral surgeries, specific types of tooth extractions and other medically indicated treatments, you will likely pay out of pocket for your dental care unless you carry dental insurance.

Dental insurance can therefore be a good choice for you and your family. It can help cover both the cost of routine preventative services and oral health emergencies. A policy can lower your out-of-pocket costs and help keep your household budget under control without sacrificing your dental health.

To help you find the right dental insurance policy, package or provider, we’ve compiled a list that takes into account the fact that the best policy for one person may not work for another. Our list takes many factors into consideration, including overall value, potential savings and age-related restrictions.

Read on to find out the best dental insurance plans on the market today.

Our Top Picks for the Best Dental Insurance

• Delta Dental: Best for Braces
• Guardian Direct: Best for Major Work
• Humana: Best Value
• Spirit Dental: Best for No Waiting Periods
• 1Dental: Best Dental Discount Plan
• UnitedHealthcare Dental: Best Affordable Choice With Short Waiting Periods
• Denali Dental: Best for Implants

Best Dental Insurance Reviews

Why we chose it: Braces — and other orthodontics to straighten and move teeth — have become a part of modern life for people of all ages, including a growing number of seniors. However, not all dental insurance plans cover orthodontic care. Delta Dental does, which makes it a standout in this category.

Flexibility is a hallmark of Delta Dental’s insurance plan. The company offers a wide range of coverage packages and is accepted by numerous dentists, orthodontists and dental specialists across the country. This gives you a great deal of freedom when choosing an orthodontist.

If you predict that one of your children will need braces in the future, Delta Dental may be the right insurer for you. However, if you or an adult member of your family would like to get braces, make sure your plan offers coverage for adult orthodontia. Some employer group plans cover such services, but that tends to be the exception rather than the rule.

A similar caveat applies if you purchase a Delta Dental plan through your state’s ACA health marketplace. Benefits vary from state to state, so be sure to review the policy details carefully to ensure the plans available to you offer the coverage you’re seeking. Seniors who wish to get braces can get orthodontics coverage through some Delta Dental AARP Member Plans.

Why we chose it: Dental surgeries such as bone grafting procedures, dental implants and jaw reconstructions are expensive. Yet they are frequently necessary or recommended to slow down bone loss and alleviate the jaw pain associated with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders. Guardian’s Select Gold plan will pay 50% of major work like crowns and oral surgery with no waiting period. Furthermore, there’s no deductible for such procedures if your dentist is an in-network provider. For these reasons, Guardian Direct is our “best for major work” pick.

Being told by a dentist or dental specialist that you need major work done on your teeth, gums or jaw can be painful to hear. It can make you wonder how you will cover the substantial costs of the procedures. Carrying a dental plan that covers the major treatments required for complex cases takes away many of those financial worries.

Guardian Direct offers a high degree of flexibility when it comes to coverage options. Customers can select the plan that best fits their lifestyle and dental needs. The most significant downside to this dental insurance provider is that, at some plan levels, you have to wait 12 months after enrolling in your policy before Guardian Direct will pay to treat a major condition. However, Guardian Direct requires no waiting period for basic preventative care. Depending on your situation, this may give you the time you need to plan for your upcoming major work.

Why we chose it: A dental plan that requires no waiting period for services and offers a one-time deductible will usually cost you a pretty penny. But in some states, you can get these benefits from a Humana Loyalty Plus plan for less than $30 a month. What’s more, your plan’s coverage gets better as time goes on. This distinctive reward for customer loyalty solidifies it as the top “best value” candidate among the dental insurance options we evaluated.

Like many dental insurance plans, Humana Loyalty Plus covers 100% of preventive care like cleanings and fluoride treatments from the outset. What sets it apart from many providers is coverage for basic and major services from day one. And to reward customer loyalty, the plan will cover a greater percentage of those services, and increase its annual maximum benefit, over a three-year period.

In year one, Humana Loyalty Plus will cover 40% of basic services like extractions and fillings and 20% of major work, such as crowns and root canals. By year three, those percentages increase to 70% and 50%, respectively. Meanwhile, a customer’s annual maximum benefit goes from $1,000 in year one to $1,500 by year three. Although some plans have a high deductible, you only pay Humana’s deductible once — not annually — over the life of the plan.

Why we chose it: While Spirit isn’t the only insurer to forgo waiting periods for services that are common throughout the industry, it does stand out for its no-wait policy at all plan levels. Even major services such as dental implants or customized dentures receive first-day coverage. The downside is that, in your first year as a customer, Spirit will cover just 10%-25% of such treatments. By year three, those percentages increase to 50%-65%.

Spirit Dental’s no-wait policy ensures you don’t have to put your oral health on hold. Furthermore, it offers plans with an annual benefit maximum of $5,000 in some states. Given that the industry standard is more in the neighborhood of $1,000–$1,500, it’s clear that Spirit can offset a significant portion of a high dental bill. Consequently, it can be a good choice for seniors, who are likely to undergo more costly procedures as they age.

Spirit Dental’s one demerit is that your premiums will be higher than you can expect to pay on other plans. However, even with higher premiums, you may find this the best plan for no waiting, as we did.

Why we chose it: The 1Dental plan offers the affordability individuals and families want out of their dental coverage. With 1Dental, you’ll pay no deductibles, experience no waiting periods and never run up against an annual benefit limit. You might think the tradeoff would be exorbitant premiums, but depending on the plan you choose, 1Dental costs about a hundred dollars a year. That’s because it’s not dental insurance, it’s a dental discount plan.

Sometimes, a basic discount plan is all you need to feel secure about being able to get the dental treatments you and your family need. Instead of paying monthly premiums for dental coverage you may or may not use, 1Dental provides discounts on only the services you receive. Savings are clearly explained upfront at the time of service, meaning you will know exactly how much to expect in out-of-pocket costs each time you visit your dentist or dental specialist.

Plan members pay an annual membership fee to receive 1Dental savings at participating dental providers. For $99 a year, its Dental Access plan provides 15% to 50% discounts on all dental procedures, including those provided by specialists. For the same price, the Careington Care 500 plan offers savings of up to 60% on basic and preventive care, while discounting specialist services by 20%. The two plans can be bundled together for an annual fee of $129.

Some of the company’s competitors have networks of participating dentists numbering in the 40,000-44,000 range. 1Dental is our top pick because it works with providers in the 130,000-member Aetna Dental Access Network to offer savings on checkups, cleanings, orthodontics and more. That said, you will want to check with your current dentist before investing in this dental discount plan to make sure they participate in 1Dental’s savings program.

Why we chose it: When you suspect you may benefit from having dental insurance in the near future but don’t need it immediately, consider UnitedHealthcare Dental. As noted above, there are plans that have no waiting period whatsoever, but the downside is generally higher premiums. For roughly $25 per month, UnitedHealthcare will cover 80% of preventative care immediately and 50% of basic care after four months. That’s why it’s the provider that gets our “best for short waiting periods” nod.

It’s standard practice for dental insurance plans to set waiting periods before which full coverage kicks in. Waits of 12 months or more are not uncommon for major work, and most plans will insist on a delay of six months for routine care. With UnitedHealthcare, you only have to wait four months. Therefore, if you know you’ll need work done in the short but not immediate term, you can avoid paying the higher premiums associated with plans that have no waiting period at all.

If you stick with the plan, UnitedHealthcare’s coverage increases. By year two, the plan covers 100% of preventative care and 80% of basic care. The plan also pays for other treatments beyond general oral healthcare visits and cleanings. Be sure to check the UnitedHealthcare plan availability in your state, though, as it isn’t offered nationwide.

Why we chose it: Dental implants have earned a reputation for being the gold standard in permanent tooth replacement. Yet dental implant surgery can be costly. Our pick for the dental insurance that’s best for implants is Denali Dental. Its Summit Ridge plan covers 50% of major dental work from day one. If you can wait until year four, though, that percentage goes up to 60%, and your annual maximum benefit reaches $6,000. That level of coverage, well above the industry standard, will greatly offset the cost of even the most complex implant procedures.

In the world of dental insurance, you’ll often see the coverage structure 100-80-50, meaning that a policy covers preventative care at 100% while paying 80% of basic procedures and 50% of major ones (like implants). Moreover, annual maximum benefits are commonly limited to $1,500 — and often less. With an average implant procedure costing at least $3,000, that means many insurance plans will be tapped out by one implant surgery alone. Denali Summit’s 60% major care coverage and $6,000 annual maximum (by year four) make it our top choice for those requiring dental implants.

Not surprisingly, the tradeoff for this level of coverage is high premiums. Denali Dental is also not available in every state. You can go to the company’s website to check whether your state is within its coverage area.

Dental Insurance Guide

The following guide provides additional information regarding how dental insurance works, how much a policy can cost and how to purchase coverage.

How does dental insurance work?

Like health insurance, dental coverage absorbs some of the cost of preventative, basic and major oral health services such as routine cleanings, tooth crown placement, dental implant surgeries and denture fittings. Some plans include a deductible that must be met before coverage begins, even on preventative or basic care. In addition, some policies may require patients to pay a copay when visiting their dentist or undergoing a procedure.

While many plans cover 100% of preventative care (possibly after a patient’s deductible has been reached), other care generally requires the patient to pay coinsurance. Once full coverage is in effect, most insurers will pay for 80% of basic care like fillings and extractions and 50% of major care like crowns and bridges. This leaves the consumer responsible for the remaining 20% or 50%, respectively.

As you begin to explore dental insurance, you’ll notice substantial differences among providers, plans and packages. Common plan options may include:

• Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) Plans – These plans allow you to visit any dentist of your choice — without a referral. The main drawback of dental PPO plans, also known as DPPO plans, is that premiums and out-of-pocket costs tend to be higher.
• Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) Plans – With a dental HMO plan or DHMO, you choose a primary dentist for all your oral care needs. For specialty care, your primary doctor would need to refer you to a specialist within your organization’s network of dentists. In general, most HMO plans will not cover services provided by dentists outside your network, so premiums for these plans tend to be cheaper.

To learn more about a specific plan and how it works, make sure to consult the insurer directly.

How much does dental insurance cost?

The cost of dental insurance depends on what services are paid for by the plan, the overall waiting period after purchase and any deductibles and/or copays. Some dental insurance plans include high deductibles or a longer waiting period in exchange for lower premiums. Others offer high-premium plans that allow you to get coverage sooner.

A good way to evaluate which type of plan will save you the most money is to look over your dental bills from the past five years. This will give you a better idea of your average annual spending and the type of dental work you typically require. For example, if you or a member of your family has been diagnosed with gum disease, you may want to purchase a dental insurance plan that offers an adequate level of coverage for periodontal treatments like deep cleanings.

How to get dental insurance

For some people, stand-alone dental insurance is available through an employer, just like regular health insurance or long-term care insurance. However, others — such as seniors who can no longer get coverage through an employer’s group plan — must use the ACA insurance marketplace or purchase a plan directly through the insurance provider.

If your family gets its health insurance through your state’s Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance marketplace, any children under 18 will receive dental coverage as an essential health benefit. You can also purchase dental insurance on your state’s ACA marketplace for family members older than 18.

Guides like this one are a good place to start when shopping for the best dental insurance. People on Medicare may find that having a dental insurance plan in addition to their Medicare coverage makes financial sense, as original Medicare doesn’t cover the vast majority of dental services.

How We Found the Best Dental Insurance

Coming up with a comprehensive list of the best dental plans for 2022 involved analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of numerous providers.

To find the top dental insurance companies in key categories, we focused on certain elements of the plans, including premiums, deductibles, annual benefit limits, and waiting periods. In each “best of” category, we include a bulleted list of pros and cons to make your dental insurance shopping easier.

Summary of the Best Dental Insurance of 2022

• Delta Dental: Best for Braces
• Guardian Direct: Best for Major Work
• Humana Loyalty Plus: Best Value
• Spirit Dental: Best for No Waiting Periods
• 1Dental: Best Dental Discount Plan
• UnitedHealthcare Dental: Best Affordable Choice With Short Waiting Periods
• Denali Dental: Best for Implants