Guardian Dental Insurance Review 2022 • Benzinga

Dental health is an essential part of your overall health. But dental care can be expensive if you need more comprehensive care.

Find out how you can reduce your out-of-pocket costs with Guardian dental insurance.

Guardian dental insurance plans cover several types of dental care, including:

• Preventive care such as oral exams, cleanings, fluoride treatments, sealants, and X-rays
• Basic care, including simple fillings and extractions
• Major care, such as bridges, dentures, crowns, complex extractions and oral surgery
• Dental implants
• Orthodontics

Guardian offers 3 plans to the general public. Each has different benefits and coinsurance.

• Gold offers the most comprehensive coverage.
  • 100% preventative care with no waiting period
  • Basic care at 70% with a waiting period of 6 months
  • 50% major care with a 12-month waiting period
  • 50% implants with a 12 month waiting period
  • Orthodontics at 50% with a waiting period of 12 months
• Silver is a mid-level blanket.
  • 80% preventive care with no waiting period
  • Basic care at 50% with a waiting period of 6 months
  • 50% major care with a 12-month waiting period
  • 50% implants with a 12 month waiting period
  • Orthodontics is not covered
• Bronze provides the weakest coverage. It is also the cheapest.
  • 100% preventative care with no waiting period
  • Basic care at 50% with a waiting period of 6 months
  • Major care is not covered
  • Implants are not covered
  • Orthodontics is not covered

How the cover works

Each plan has a deductible, which is the amount you must pay before Guardian starts paying. For example, the 3 plans have a $0 deductible for preventive care received from a dentist in the network. All other services have a $50 deductible.

Guardian, like most dental plans, also has a maximum payout. That’s the most Guardian will pay in a year. Guardian increases its payout each year.

With the Gold Plan, in your 1st year, it pays a maximum of $1,000. The 2nd year has a maximum of $1,250. After that, the maximum payout is $1,500. Implants have a lifetime maximum of $1,000. Orthodontics has an annual maximum of $500 and a lifetime maximum of $1,000.

The Silver plan pays a maximum of $500 in the 1st year, up to $750 in the 2nd year and up to $1,000 in the 3rd year and beyond. Dental implants have a lifetime maximum of $700.

The Bronze plan pays out a maximum of $500 in your 1st year, up to $750 in your 2nd year, and up to $1,000 during and after your 3rd year with Guardian.

What is not covered

Like all insurance companies, there are limits to what Guardian will cover. These exclusions include:

• Treatment of work-related injuries (these are usually covered by workers’ compensation)
• Cosmetic procedures like teeth whitening.
• Pulp Vitality Tests
• Services performed on poor prognosis teeth
• Replacement of a lost, missing or stolen brace or prosthesis
• Services and devices to process ATM
• Separate charges for local anesthesia
• Prescription drugs

Guardian does not have information about individual policyholder claims on its website. In general, dentists often process insurance claims through their practice. In some situations, you may need to contact Guardian and file a complaint following the instructions.

If you have a policy through your employer, you can submit a claim online.

Guardian has a mobile app available in the Google Play and Apple App stores. The mobile application allows you to find providers and consult your insurance cards.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t do much else. You cannot contact customer service or file or track complaints through the mobile app.

Guardian’s 3 plan tiers make it easy to choose a plan that fits your budget. It has affordable plans starting at around $8 per month. The cheapest plan offers the lowest coverage amount, so keep that in mind when deciding which plan to buy.

Of course, if you purchase a Guardian dental plan through your employer, you might pay a different price. Employers often pay part of the cost of insurance, and Guardian offers different plans through employers than they offer to the general public.

Whether you buy it through an employer or on your own, consider the benefits carefully before you buy.

Guardian Customer Service Centers are available from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. PST. If you purchased your dental insurance through your state’s health insurance exchange, call 1-844-561-5600. If you purchased your insurance directly from Guardian, call 1-866-569-9900.

Guardian doesn’t offer other customer service options like email or live chat, so you’ll have to call for help.

Guardian offers affordable dental insurance plans that cover a range of dental services. Its mobile app isn’t the most functional, and it could offer more claims information and more customer service options. But the process of buying coverage is simple, and you have maximums that increase the longer you have your policy.

Keep in mind that Guardian has a waiting period for certain services. If you are planning dental care in the future, it is best to purchase a policy now to meet the 6 or 12 month waiting period. You will also receive a higher maximum benefit after your 1st year of coverage.

Is Guardian dental insurance right for you?

Guardian might be the best dental insurance if you like the flexibility of a PPO and don’t mind the waiting period. If you have a favorite dentist, check to see if they are in-network with Guardian. Otherwise, you may want to choose a dental insurance plan that includes your dentist as a network provider.

When comparing plans, look at more than monthly costs. Consider the percentage the plan will cover for each type of service, the plan’s waiting periods, deductibles, and the plan’s annual maximum. If you need implants or if a member of your family needs orthodontic care, confirm that this is covered by your plan. Many insurance companies exclude them or limit the annual benefits for these services.

Another option for dental care is a discount dental plan. These plans are not insurance, but they can reduce the cost of your dental care. Dental discount plans require a monthly or annual premium, and you receive a discount card that you can use with dentists who have agreed to work with the plan.

Your discount is honored at the time of service, so you don’t have to worry about filing a claim or knowing if you’ve exceeded your annual maximum. You also don’t have to wait to receive certain services.

To compare dental discount plans, visit our trusted partner. With just a few clicks, you can see what packages are available in your area and compare packages.

Learn more: BEST TELEDENTISTRY PLATFORMS AND APPLICATIONS