Affordable Dental Plans for Arkansas

Average Premium, Service Co-Pays, and Benefit Limits

By Insurance Industry Expert & Author

Updated on

Best Selling Plans in Arkansas

Company logo for Ameritas bestselling

Hollywood Smile Premier Plus 1500

No waiting periods. $1500 plan maximum. 100% preventive coverage on day one.

Plan Type: PPO

Plan Maximum: $1,500

Company logo for Guardian bestselling

Advantage Achiever

Rich benefits with maximums increase each for year the first 3 years.

Plan Type: PPO

Plan Maximum: $1,000 - $1,500

Company logo for Ameritas bestselling

Hollywood Smile Premier Plus 2000

100% preventive coverage on day one. $2000 plan maximum. No waiting periods.

Plan Type: PPO

Plan Maximum: $2,000

Options for Coverage

Being a state with a smaller population, Arkansas' market of dentists and dental plans is more modest as compared to its neighbor Texas. With respect to oral health trends in the state, a 2015 paper from the Health Policy Institute of the American Dental Association found that among people living in Arkansas:

  • Only 63 percent said their teeth and mouth were in "good" or "very good" condition
  • For those whose household income is low, that percentage dropped to 40 percent
  • 35 percent avoided smiling due to the condition of their teeth and mouth
  • For those who did not visit a dentist in the past 12 months, the number one reason for not having a dental appointment visit was cost

Proper dental coverage can alleviate the financial challenges many consumers face regarding dental care. A review of 20 dental plans in Arkansas (from seven different dental benefits companies) found coverage options for a single person as low as $15.26 a month for insurance with a preferred provider organization and $8.95 a month for a Dental Discount Program. A dental preferred provider organization (DPPO) has a collection of covered benefits that, when used inside its network of dentists, offers lower out-of-pocket costs. These plans also allow an enrollee to receive care from a dentist outside their network but the out-of-pocket costs are higher. A dental discount program is different from insurance. In exchange for a monthly membership fee, a consumer can receive dental care at discounted prices within the network of dentists belonging to the savings program. Care received outside of this network does not receive any discount.

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Premiums and Deductibles

The average premium for dental coverage was $32.29 in 2021. This average is lower than the average premiums found in similar state reviews performed for plans in California, New York, and Florida. Among DPPO plans, premiums ranged from $15.26 to $46.23. For indemnity dental plans, prices ranged from $64.23 to $68.72 among the plans belonging to the review.

The lowest deductible among the Arkansas insurance plans studied was $0 for Nationwide's PPO Advantage. The discount program also had a $0 deductible but this plan is a savings instrument rather than true insurance. The remaining deductibles moved from $25 for an individual to $150. Family deductibles reached as high as $450 (as a single unit) or $50 per family member. There was a plan with a $100 deductible per family member but it was capped at a maximum of three $100 deductibles per family.

Charges for Common Dental Services

Most of the plans reviewed for Arkansas paid 100 percent of the cost of dental cleaning at an in-network dentist. In some cases there was a fee charged to the enrollee of 20 percent of the cleaning cost. One option charged 50 percent. The dental discount program charged a flat fee of $41.

For almost every plan, the out-of-pocket costs for a filling was based on a percentage of the total cost of care. The majority of plans paid 50 percent or more toward the cost of a filling with the remainder paid by the enrollee.

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During the whole life I was afraid of attending a dentist. I dunno know why, perhaps I have never faced a true professional when I was a child and who had no idea how to operate with children correctly. Anyway, recently I wanted to pass a check up of my teeth in order to be convinced that everything is okay with them. I have chosen this clinic and applied to it. The dentists here turned out to be real professionals. It was the very first time in my life when all my fear vanished after I crossed the door. Awesome service, they helped me to get rid of my fear which followed me since childhood.

Jarod Haley

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Very nice reprsentative. knowledgeable and efficiaent

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Oral Health Resources for Residents of Arkansas

We've pulled together information to help you find resources in your state to help you maintain your oral health.

Arkansas State Dental Association (ASDA)

The ASDA is Arkansas' leading professional association for dental professionals, providing members with dental advocacy related to law and regulation and also oral health resources for residents living in the state.

Charitable Dental Resources for Citizens of Arkansas

This site includes sources of dental care (e.g. examinations, cleanings, sealants, comprehensive treatment) for underserved populations. A free dental clinic, The Arkansas Mission of Mercy, has unfortunately announced that it will not provide services in 2021, making it the second year in a row that COVID-19 has interrupted its service to the low-income and underserved. The organization did announce that it is hopeful to return the charity to the public in 2022.

Notably, Delta Dental announced a "Pandemic Relief Credit" in 2020 for its business clients and its dental provider network. This program provided a credit equal to the monthly premium billed to Delta Dental's commercial business clients with either dental insurance or vision insurance. The financial value of this credit program was nearly $15 million across more than 4,000 Arkansas business clients.

Need help choosing a plan? Call us at 800-296-3800

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.

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