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final verdict
There are many options when it comes to dental insurance companies. Some companies, like Renaissance Dental and Delta Dental, offer plans that cover 100% preventative care, while others like Spirit Dental offer plans with no waiting period. But overall, the best dental insurance company is Cigna.
Cigna has an extensive network of more than 93,000 available dentists nationwide, and all of its dental insurance covers preventative care with no deductible or copayment. Additionally, with Cigna, customers can choose a level of care based on their actual needs, with some plans offering orthodontic and restorative care at a higher price.
Compare the best dental insurance companies
| Company | Cover limit | Networked Suppliers | Plans | Deductible | Available States |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cigna Best overall |
$1,500 for restorative care $1,000 for orthodontics | 93,000 | 3 | $50 individuals $150 families $0 for the preventive plan | 50 |
| Renaissance Dental Finalist, Best Overall |
$1,000 | 300,000 | 4 | $50 for individuals or families | 50 |
| Dental Spirit Ideal for periods without waiting |
$5,000 after 3 years | 111,500 | 16 | Single deductible of $100 | 50 |
| Humana Dental Insurance Best Value |
$1,000 to unlimited | 270,000 | 6 | $50 for individuals $150 for families | 50 |
| UnitedHealthOne dental insurance Ideal for families |
$3,000 | 100,000 | ten | $50 per person | 50 |
| Doctors’ Mutual Ideal for the elderly |
Unlimited | 500,000 | 3 | Any | 50 |
| Delta Dental Ideal for orthodontics |
$1,000 to unlimited | 152,000 | 5 | $50 for PPO plans | 50 |
What is dental insurance?
Dental insurance offers a range of coverage for various dental procedures, including preventative care and more complex services such as fillings, crowns and root canals. Like other types of insurance, dental insurance requires you to pay a monthly insurance premium, and you can also pay an annual or lifetime deductible in addition to copayments when you see a dentist for treatment.
Dental insurance works differently than health insurance in terms of the coverage you can receive. While the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) meant that limits could no longer apply to healthcare coverage in any given year, dental insurance plans often come with annual limits as low as $750 or $1,000 per person.
Once your maximum annual benefit amount is reached, you will have to pay for dental care out of pocket. Also note that dental insurance often comes with waiting periods that can vary depending on the type of care you need.
Be sure not to confuse dental insurance with discount dental plans. Dental discount plans only offer discounted prices on services for dentists in a specific network.
What does dental insurance usually include?
Dental insurance plans can vary widely, and that includes what they will and won’t include. For this reason, you should read the terms and conditions of any plan you are considering to ensure that basic care like fillings and major services like crowns and bridges are included in your coverage.
For the most part, most dental insurance plans cover preventative care like cleanings and x-rays at 100%, although waiting periods may apply. Coverage for basic services such as fillings, root canals and tooth extractions is also included, but is normally limited to a percentage of the cost (eg 50%). You can also purchase coverage that includes major services such as crowns, bridges, dental implants, and orthodontics, although plans that cover major services tend to cost more and limit payment to 50% in most of the cases.
What does dental insurance generally exclude?
Dental insurance does not normally cover cosmetic procedures such as teeth whitening, and you may also have difficulty finding coverage for pre-existing conditions such as missing teeth. Some plans leave out major services like dental implants and orthodontic care. Be sure to read your dental insurance policy to see what it includes and excludes.
What are the expected costs of dental insurance?
The cost of dental insurance varies greatly depending on where you live, your age and the plan you choose. However, it may be possible to find a plan that costs less than $20 per month for an individual depending on your state and county.
Less expensive dental insurance plans tend to cover only a small percentage of services and come with low annual benefit limits. More robust plans can easily cost upwards of $40 to $60 per month for an individual, although you get more coverage, higher annual benefit amounts, and more included services in return.
Is paying for dental insurance worth it?
Only you can decide if paying for dental insurance is worth it. However, you should take the time to do a basic cost analysis to determine how much you would pay for dental insurance premiums, copayments, and deductibles per year versus how much you actually paid for care. dentistry in previous years.
According to an analysis by the American Dental Association, most people would be better off paying for dental care out of pocket.
Also, keep in mind that you will get much more value from your dental insurance plan if you actually use it. The ADA says more than one in three adults with dental insurance don’t use their plan, which could be part of why many aren’t getting enough value for the money they invest in insurance. dental every month.
Methodology
We looked at over 20 dental insurance plans to find the providers for our ranking. We researched plans with the broadest dentist networks available, reasonable annual benefit maximums, and the possibility of low premiums. Although many plans on our list have waiting periods, we have tried to select providers that do not list heavy waiting periods that make it difficult to use coverage.
We also looked for dental insurance companies with good financial strength ratings, primarily by comparing ratings from Standard & Poor’s and AM Best.
