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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% preventive 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 dentists available across the country, and all of its dental insurance covers preventive care with no deductible or co-payment. Additionally, with Cigna, clients 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
| Society | Coverage limit | Network providers | 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 preventive plan | 50 |
| Dental Renaissance Finalist, Best Overall |
$ 1,000 | 300,000 | 4 | $ 50 for individuals or families | 50 |
| Dental Spirit Ideal for no waiting period |
$ 5,000 after 3 years | 111,500 | 16 | One-time 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 |
| Mutual of doctors Ideal for the elderly |
Unlimited | 500,000 | 3 | Nothing | 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 co-payments when you see a dentist for care.
Dental insurance works differently from 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 health care coverage in any given year, dental insurance plans often come with limitations. annual limits as low as $ 750 or $ 1,000 per person.
Once the annual maximum amount is reached, you will have to pay for dental care out of pocket. In addition, be aware that dental insurance often comes with waiting times that can vary depending on the type of care you need.
Make sure you don’t confuse dental insurance with dental discount plans. Dental discount plans only offer reduced prices on services for dentists in a specific network.
What does dental insurance generally include?
Dental insurance plans can vary widely, and that includes what they will and will not include. For this reason, you should read the terms and conditions of any plan you are considering to make sure that basic care like fillings and major services like crowns and bridges are included in your coverage.
For the most part, the majority of dental insurance plans provide 100% coverage for preventative care like cleanings and x-rays, although wait times may apply. Coverage for basic services like 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 orthodontic treatment, although plans covering major services tend to cost more and limit payment to 50% in the future. in most cases.
What does dental insurance generally exclude?
Dental insurance does not normally cover cosmetic procedures such as teeth whitening, and you may also have a hard time finding coverage for pre-existing conditions such as missing teeth. Some plans completely exclude major services like dental implants and orthodontic treatment. Be sure to read your dental insurance policy to see what it includes and what excludes.
What are the expected costs of dental insurance?
The cost of dental insurance varies widely 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 have low annual benefit limits. More robust plans can easily cost more, from $ 40 to $ 60 per month for an individual, although in return you’ll get more coverage, higher annual benefit amounts, and more included services.
Is paying for dental insurance worth it?
Only you can decide whether paying for dental insurance is worth it. However, you should take the time to perform a basic cost analysis to determine how much you would pay for dental insurance premiums, copayments and deductibles per year compared to what you actually paid for the care. dental care in previous years.
According to an analysis by the American Dental Association, most people are better off paying for their dental care out of pocket.
Also, keep in mind that you will get a lot more value from your dental insurance plan if you actually use it. ADA says more than one in three adults with dental insurance don’t use their plan, which may be part of the reason 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 in our ranking. We have researched plans with the broadest dentist networks available, reasonable maximum annual benefits, and the possibility of low premiums. While many of the plans on our list have wait times, we have tried to select providers that don’t list the heavy wait times that make it difficult to use coverage.
We also searched for dental insurance companies with good financial strength ratings, primarily by comparing the ratings of Standard & Poor’s and AM Best.
