Immediate Dental Insurance

Insurance with full dental benefit access the day the coverage starts

What Is Immediate Coverage?

Some dental plans describe themselves as “immediate coverage” (e.g., Delta Dental Immediate Coverage) while other plans may say “no waiting period,” “instant coverage,” or for “immediate use.” When a dental plan describes itself this way, it is indicating that the plan does not have waiting periods on its primary benefits (i.e. the dental services it covers). A waiting period is a requirement for customers to be enrolled in the plan for a minimum length of time (e.g., 6 months) before the plan will pay for a particular type of care (e.g., crowns). Procedures that have waiting periods are usually very expensive ones, such as implants, but not annual check-ups and fillings. Waiting periods vary by dental plan but they are a routine aspect of the dental insurance market. Unfortunately, some consumers need instant coverage for an oral health issue such as:

• A broken tooth
• An emergency need (i.e. a sudden onset of need) for a root canal, crown, or implant.

In these cases, people want insurance coverage ASAP.

This brings us to the matter of same day coverage. Same day coverage is usually not the same thing as immediate coverage, so be careful not to confuse the two concepts. Same day coverage implies insurance that becomes active and useable the day you submit your application and first monthly payment. Immediate coverage, in contrast, means there are no waiting periods once the plan becomes active. A dental plan normally becomes active and available for use a few weeks after the application and first payment are submitted. The first day of coverage is known as the dental policy’s Effective Date.

If you are considering buying same day coverage, confirm that it meets your need. Same day coverage may not be dental insurance but instead a dental discount program, which has its own pros and cons when compared to traditional insurance.

Braces

Sometimes a plan describing itself as immediate coverage may still have a waiting period for orthodontic benefits such as braces. Orthodontic care, as well as cosmetic dentistry like teeth whitening, is not viewed as a standard dental practice (as opposed to a separate specialty) and may have a waiting period even though the rest of the dental benefits have no waiting periods. Core benefits are not a consistent set of covered dental services but usually come in the form of preventive care (e.g. annual exams and teeth cleaning), basic care (e.g. fillings, extractions), and major care (e.g. root canals, crowns).

A dental plan without waiting periods allows an enrollee to use the plan's benefits once the plan is active. Plans become active after a consumer submits an application with payment and that enrollment application is approved. Specifically, a dental plan is active after a consumer has applied, paid the monthly premium, been approved for enrollment, and has reached the plan’s effective date (which is the first day the plan’s coverage starts). With modern online automation, this process can be quite fast. Our dental plan comparison tool lets you the earliest available effective date for a plan (e.g. the first day of month following application) at the beginning of the enrollment process. For an additional discussion on effective dates, see our article Dental Insurance No Waiting Period.

Fact vs. Fiction in Immediate Coverage

Some consumers find the concept of immediate dental insurance confusing. This is due to the fact that immediate coverage does not mean there is no delay between the time a consumer purchases an insurance plan and the time the insurance can be used.

First, a consumer must wait for the dental plan’s effective date for insurance coverage to begin. The effective date is the beginning of the insurance coverage period.

Second, a plan may have a deductible that requires a specific amount of out-of-pocket spending on dental care by the enrollee before the insurance begins to pay for services. Usually, dental plan deductibles are modest (e.g. $50 - $100 per enrollee on the plan). Some dental plans have no deductibles.

Third, waiting periods may still exist for dental services outside core benefits (such as cosmetic procedures and braces).

Fourth, immediate coverage is limited to the benefits within the dental plan. The dental services covered by insurance varies from plan to plan and is not standardized. Always review the details on a dental plan to confirm the breadth of its coverage. You can make this review by reading the online Plan Details for the insurance or reading the plan’s summary of benefits.

Dental Insurance Immediate Coverage

The below list includes dental plans in each state (and Washington D.C.) that have immediate coverage without waiting periods for preventive, basic, and major dental care. Some of these plans may not be available in every county of the state for which it’s listed. Also, remember that benefits begin on the policy’s effective date.

Be certain to check the plan details page to make certain there have not been any updates that introduce a waiting period. Once you’ve finished reviewing the plans, you can also get personalized dental plan quotes for your age and zip code with just a few clicks.

Compare Dental Plans in Your Area

Click our Dental Insurance link here and shop plans available in your zip code.