Too many people lack dental insurance because they assume it’s as expensive as health insurance. The truth is that dental insurance is typically much less expensive than medical coverage and there are some options that are very affordable even for people with modest incomes. This article will provide you with:
Paying less for dental coverage involves trade-offs. For many plans, lower cost means fewer dental services covered. Dental services are often characterized as preventive, basic, and major. Below we provide some examples of different services that may be included within each of these categories:
Preventive (service examples include)
Basic (service examples include)
Major (service examples include)
Before enrolling in a dental plan, make certain the services it covers matches your oral health needs. Inexpensive dental plans may have waiting periods delaying access to more expensive major services, or they may not cover these services at all. Since dental benefits are not standardized, it is always a good idea to review the specific services covered within a dental plan’s Summary of Benefits or plan brochure.
Another matter to examine when considering low-cost coverage is the choice of dentists associated with an inexpensive dental plan. Low-cost coverage is more likely to be HMO dental plans or dental discount programs with limited dentist options. As healthcare research Kev Coleman has noted, dental insurance is only as good as the dentists who accept it. Consequently, a cheap dental plan is only a bargain if you know you’ll have access to a quality dentist.
Another significant consideration on inexpensive dental plans is the maximum benefit. The maximum benefit is the yearly limit on what an insurance company will spend for your dental care. Inexpensive ppo dental plans are more likely to have a low maximum benefit while a dental hmo plan typically has no maximum benefit limit.
One of the biggest mistakes consumers make when shopping for dental coverage is considering premiums alone. A premium is the monthly payment made in exchange for coverage. However, dentist insurance costs can extend well beyond these payments because most services come with out-of-pocket costs in the form of copayments or coinsurance fees. If you anticipate using many dental services in a year, be certain to check the out-of-pocket expenses attending them because higher out-of-pocket costs may outweigh the savings of a lower premium.
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Below are five different dental insurance options that each cost less than $25 a month for a single enrollee. Please note that each dental plan may not be available in every region of the U.S.
The Careington 500 Series Dental Savings is one of the lowest priced of the five plan examples in this article. For most enrollees, this plan costs less than $10 a month. The Careington plan is not traditional dental insurance. Instead, the plan is a membership-based savings program where the enrollee has unlimited use of participating dentists and these dentists discount their service rates from 20 percent to 60 percent of market price. Unlike many traditional plans, preventive care such as annual exams and cleanings come with out-of-pocket costs. However, the Careington plan has no maximum benefit that limits annual savings.
DentalInsurance.com offers this discount program in 43 states plus Washington D.C.
For $13 a month (or less), enrollees in MetLife’s TakeAlong Dental HMO-Managed Care 245 (High) have coverage for preventive, basic, and major dental care. Covered major care includes root canals, crowns, dentures, and periodontal scaling and root planing.
Two teeth cleanings per year are covered 100% with no out-of-pocket costs for in-network dentists and the annual deductible is $0. The plan also pays 100% of the cost for amalgam fillings. A copay of $25 is charged for resin-based composite fillings (white fillings).
The MetLife brand is a household name and is known for insurance services ranging from life and vision insurance to pet insurance. This particular plan is available through DentalInsurance.com in several states: California, Florida, Texas, and New York.
For consumers seeking more freedom of dentist choice, Ameritas Hollywood Smile Premier 1500 offers the broad options of a Preferred Provider Network. the Costing under $25 a month, the Ameritas Hollywood Smile Premier 1500 PPO is a big value that provides its enrollees with lots of choice with respect to dentists. Unlike some other inexpensive dental PPO plans, the Hollywood Smile Premier 1500 includes coverage for major dental care, not just preventive and basic. Cost coverage for crowns and root canals increases in the second and third year of continuous enrollment.
DentalInsurance.com has this product available in 34 states plus Washington D.C.
While they may be more famous for their Medicare plans, Humana offers the extremely affordable Humana Bright Plus PPO. Covering a single person around $25 a month, this plan covers preventive and basic dental care. The plan’s $50 deductible is waived for in-network preventive care. The plan also covers 60 percent of the cost of services such as white fillings and teeth extractions.
DentalInsurance.com has this product available in over half the states in the U.S.
Coming in right around $25 a month in many regions, the Guardian Direct Advantage Starter PPO is another PPO option for consumers who don’t like the restrictive dentist networks of HMOs and dental discount cards. The plans has a $50 per enrollee deductible and preventive care is covered immediately. Basic dental care like a filling or tooth extraction is available after 6 months of continuous plan membership.
DentalInsurance.com has the Guardian Direct Advantage Starter PPO available in 42 states.
Below is an overview of costs associated with each of the five dental plans reviewed in this article. All out-of-pocket costs assume in-network healthcare providers.
Interested in these plans? See which ones are available in your region by visiting our dental insurance quote page.
Our knowledgeable customer service team will assist you with any questions you may have prior to enrolling in a dental plan. They can guide you through the process of choosing coverage that matches your needs as well as your budget.
