Does Dental Insurance Cover Teeth Whitening?
Contents
- Introduction
- Types of teeth whitening treatments
- A list of dental plans with teeth whitening coverage
Introduction to Teeth Whitening
There are a variety of ways to lighten the color of your teeth, ranging from over-the-counter toothpastes and whitening kits to professional whitening performed in a dentist's office. All forms of teeth whitening are a form of cosmetic dental care. Cosmetic dentistry is often omitted from insurance coverage but there are dental plans that include teeth whitening as a benefit.
Types of Teeth Whitening Treatments
If a dental plan includes a teeth whitening benefit, the whitening covered is the type delivered by a dentist (you can always confirm this in a dental plan's Summary of Benefits brochure). There are other ways to whiten your teeth that are likely excluded from this coverage such as:
- Over-the-counter whitening toothpastes (“over-the-counter” means the product can be purchased without a prescription in a retail store like a grocery or pharmacy)
- Over-the-counter teeth whitening kits
- Laser teeth whitening provided outside a dental office
- Whitening services provided by an out-of-network dentist
For a more extensive discussion of whitening options, see our article “What's The Best Way to Whiten My Teeth?”
Which Dental Plans Cover Teeth Whitening
We've assembled a list of dental plans in each state that include some level of cover for teeth whitening. This is not a comprehensive list but a quick way to find a couple options available in your area.
Please note dental plans cover teeth whitening at differing levels and cost-sharing.
| State | Insurance Company | Plan |
| Alabama | Guardian | Advantage Diamond |
| Careington | 500 Series Dental Savings (Discount Program, Not Insurance) | |
| Alaska | Careington | 500 Series Dental Savings (Discount Program, Not Insurance) |
| Arizona | Humana | Bright Plus |
| Guardian | Advantage Diamond | |
| Arkansas | Guardian | Advantage Diamond |
| Careington | 500 Series Dental Savings (Discount Program, Not Insurance) | |
| California | MetLife | TakeAlong Dental HMO-Managed Care 350 (Low) |
| California Dental Network | Plan 595 | |
| Colorado | Anthem BlueCross BlueShield | Essential Choice Classic |
| Humana | Bright Plus | |
| Connecticut | Anthem BlueCross BlueShield | Essential Choice Gold |
| Anthem BlueCross BlueShield | Essential Choice Silver | |
| Delaware | Guardian | Advantage Diamond |
| Humana | Bright Plus | |
| Florida | Guardian | Managed DentalGuard |
| MetLife | TakeAlong Dental HMO-Managed Care 245 (High) | |
| Georgia | Anthem BlueCross BlueShield | Essential Choice Incentive |
| Anthem BlueCross BlueShield | Essential Choice Bronze | |
| Hawaii | Guardian | Advantage Diamond |
| Careington | 500 Series Dental Savings (Discount Program, Not Insurance) | |
| Idaho | Humana | Bright Plus |
| Guardian | Advantage Diamond | |
| Illinois | Guardian | Managed DentalGuard |
| Humana | Bright Plus | |
| Indiana | Anthem BlueCross BlueShield | Essential Choice Platinum |
| Anthem BlueCross BlueShield | Essential Choice Gold | |
| Iowa | Guardian | Advantage Diamond |
| Careington | 500 Series Dental Savings (Discount Program, Not Insurance) | |
| Kansas | Humana | Bright Plus |
| Guardian | Advantage Diamond | |
| Kentucky | Delta Dental of Kentucky | Happy Smiles |
| Guardian | Advantage Diamond | |
| Louisiana | Humana | Bright Plus |
| Careington | 500 Series Dental Savings (Discount Program, Not Insurance) | |
| Maine | Anthem BlueCross BlueShield | Essential Choice Incentive |
| Anthem BlueCross BlueShield | Essential Choice Platinum | |
| Maryland | Careington | 500 Series Dental Savings (Discount Program, Not Insurance) |
| Guardian | Advantage Diamond | |
| Massachusetts | Guardian | Advantage Diamond |
| Humana | Bright Plus | |
| Michigan | Guardian | Advantage Diamond |
| Humana | Bright Plus | |
| Minnesota | Careington | 500 Series Dental Savings (Discount Program, Not Insurance) |
| Humana | Bright Plus | |
| Mississippi | Guardian | Advantage Diamond |
| Careington | 500 Series Dental Savings (Discount Program, Not Insurance) | |
| Missouri | Humana | Bright Plus |
| Anthem BlueCross BlueShield | Essential Choice Bronze | |
| Montana | We didn't find any Montana dental plans in our inventory that had teeth whitening coverage | |
| Nebraska | Guardian | Advantage Diamond |
| Careington | 500 Series Dental Savings (Discount Program, Not Insurance) | |
| Nevada | Anthem BlueCross BlueShield | Essential Choice Gold |
| Anthem BlueCross BlueShield | Essential Choice Platinum | |
| New Hampshire | Anthem BlueCross BlueShield | Essential Choice Silver |
| Humana | Bright Plus | |
| New Jersey | Careington | 500 Series Dental Savings (Discount Program, Not Insurance) |
| Guardian | Advantage Diamond | |
| New Mexico | Humana | Bright Plus |
| Careington | 500 Series Dental Savings (Discount Program, Not Insurance) | |
| New York | Empire Blue | Essential Choice Gold |
| Guardian | Managed DentalGuard | |
| North Carolina | Guardian | Advantage Diamond |
| Humana | Bright Plus | |
| North Dakota | Careington | 500 Series Dental Savings (Discount Program, Not Insurance) |
| Guardian | Advantage Diamond | |
| Ohio | Anthem BlueCross BlueShield | Essential Choice Silver |
| Anthem BlueCross BlueShield | Essential Choice Gold | |
| Oklahoma | Humana | Bright Plus |
| Guardian | Advantage Diamond | |
| Oregon | Dental Health Services | Super SmartSmile |
| Dental Health Services | SmartSmile | |
| Pennsylvania | Humana | Bright Plus |
| Careington | 500 Series Dental Savings (Discount Program, Not Insurance) | |
| Rhode Island | Guardian | Advantage Diamond |
| Careington | 500 Series Dental Savings (Discount Program, Not Insurance) | |
| South Carolina | Guardian | Advantage Diamond |
| Careington | 500 Series Dental Savings (Discount Program, Not Insurance) | |
| South Dakota | Careington | 500 Series Dental Savings (Discount Program, Not Insurance) |
| Tennessee | Delta Dental of Tennessee | Brighter Advantage |
| Delta Dental of Tennessee | Essential Advantage | |
| Texas | MetLife | TakeAlong Dental HMO-Managed Care 245 (High) |
| MetLife | TakeAlong Dental HMO-Managed Care 350 (Low) | |
| Utah | Humana | Bright Plus |
| Guardian | Advantage Diamond | |
| Vermont | Guardian | Advantage Diamond |
| Virginia | Anthem BlueCross BlueShield | Essential Choice Gold |
| Anthem BlueCross BlueShield | Essential Choice Platinum | |
| Washington State | We didn't find any Washington State dental plans in our inventory that had no waiting period | |
| Washington D.C. | Humana | Bright Plus |
| Careington | 500 Series Dental Savings (Discount Program, Not Insurance) | |
| West Virginia | Guardian | Advantage Diamond |
| Careington | 500 Series Dental Savings (Discount Program, Not Insurance) | |
| Wisconsin | Anthem BlueCross BlueShield | Essential Choice Incentive |
| Anthem BlueCross BlueShield | Essential Choice Silver | |
| Wyoming | Careington | 500 Series Dental Savings (Discount Program, Not Insurance) |
| Note: Plans may not be available in all areas. |
After you click the Plan Details button, move down the Plan Details page. You will find the label “Teeth Whitening” and information regarding whether the plan covers that dental service.