Phone Call us

Does Dental Insurance Cover Teeth Whitening?

By Kev Coleman Insurance Industry Expert & Author
Updated on

Contents

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.

dental plan benefits and cost summary

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.