Ohio Dental Insurance Plans

Dental Benefits in Ohio

The midwestern state of Ohio has a population approaching 12 million. While many Ohio residents obtain dental coverage through their employers, others buy dental insurance directly for themselves. The Ohio market for dental insurance includes many well-known brands such as Humana, MetLife, Guardian, and Anthem BlueCross BlueShield.

Dental plans in Ohio have a range of benefit designs. Some plans have a narrow coverage of preventive care and basic dental services such as fillings and extractions. Other plans have more comprehensive features that include major dental services such as crowns and periodontal care. Another differentiating feature among Ohio dental plans is the maximum benefit, which is the most the insurer will pay toward an enrollees dental care within a year. Some plans have a modest plan maximum (e.g. $500 during the first year of enrollment) while others have a plan maximum of several thousand dollars.

When comparing dental benefits, it wise to review the level of coverage for care such as:

• Annual exams and teeth cleaning
• X-rays
• Teeth extractions
• Traditional silver filling
• White filling
• Tooth extraction
• Crown
• Root canal
• Periodontal deep cleanings
• Tooth implants
• Dentures
• Teeth whitening

Premiums

A review of 24 dental plans offered in Ohio established some characteristics of premiums for these plans. Price quotes for a 22 year-old living in the state found the least expensive option within the two dozen reviewed was a discount dental program. The Careington 500 Series Dental Savings discount card charged only $8.95 a month for access to a dental network where care could be received at reduced rates. The most expensive was the Nationwide Classic 2000 + VSP Premium indemnity dental plan. The monthly premium for this plan was $91.11 in 2022. This plan had broad benefits including supplemental vision benefits. However, at a $2,000 plan maximum, there were other plans that had a higher ceiling on how much the insurer would pay during a given coverage year.

When considering all 24 options, the average premium was $42.33 a month.

Alongside the monthly premium, consumers must consider a plan's out-of-pocket costs for dental care and deductibles. A deductible is amount that must be spent on dental care before the plan will begin paying a portion of the costs. Out-of-pocket costs refer to copayments or co-insurance fees charge for a specific dental service covered by insurance.

Safety Net Dental Care Programs

Ohio has about 160 programs providing basic dental care and these centers are collectively known as "Safety Net Dental Care Programs." The programs are sponsored by community health centers, local health departments, as well as Ohio hospitals. Safety Net programs are part of Medicaid, a health coverage offered in collaboration between the state and the federal government. For more information, see the Safety Net Dental Care Programs brochure.