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The cost of dental care can be high, but dental insurance helps offset some of those expenses.
Dental insurance policies aren’t one-size-fits-all. Benefits and coverage range from preventive-only plans to plans that help with major care like dentures and implants.
Compare Dental Insurance Coverage And Costs From Our Partners
1
Ameritas
Coverage
48 states
Network
111,500 providers
Monthly premiums start at
$24.69
2
Aflac
Coverage
All 50 states
Network
No network restrictions (all providers are covered)
Monthly premiums start at
$25.00
3
Humana
Coverage
48 states and Washington, D.C.
Network
270,000 locations
How Much Does Dental Insurance Cost?
The average dental insurance policy with comprehensive coverage costs $47 a month, according to Forbes Advisor’s analysis. A preventive care plan costs an average of $26 a month.
Factors that influence the cost of individual dental insurance include a plan’s coverage, the annual maximum, and the out-of-pocket costs like deductibles and coinsurance.
Average Dental Insurance Costs by Plan
| Insurance company | Top-scoring plan in Forbes Advisor’s analysis | Monthly cost example |
|---|---|---|
Humana | Preventive Value | $21.99 |
Spirit Dental | Core Network | $43.37 |
UnitedHealthcare | Primary Plus Dental | $43.59 |
Cigna | Cigna Dental 1500 | $49.00 |
Ameritas | PrimeStar Access | $49.98 |
Guardian Direct | Diamond | $58.40 |
Delta Dental | Delta Dental PPO Individual – Premium Plan | $64.92 |
Denali Dental | Ridge Plan 750/1500/2000/2500 | $68.55 |
Anthem | Essential Choice PPO Platinum | $79.49 |
Monthly costs are based on a 30-year-old female in California. Costs are for comparison only; your own cost will likely be different. Humana’s Preventive Value plan focuses on preventive care and doesn’t include coverage for oral surgery, root canals and other major services.
Employers often offer dental insurance as part of their benefits packages. Those group policies are typically cheaper than buying a dental insurance policy yourself. The employer helps pay for coverage and can offer more affordable dental insurance through a group plan.
Out-of-Pocket Dental Insurance Costs
Expect these out-of-pocket expenses with dental insurance:
- Premiums
- Deductibles
- Coinsurance
- Copayment
- Costs after you reach the plan’s annual maximum
Premiums
This is the regular amount you pay to keep a dental insurance policy in force.
In addition to premiums, dental insurance often includes deductibles, copayments and coinsurance.
Dental Insurance Deductibles
A dental insurance deductible is the amount you pay for dental care before the dental insurance company begins to pay for services.
The exact deductible varies by dental insurance plan. For instance, our analysis of dental insurance deductibles found that some plans have no deductible for in-network care, while others may charge $50 for an individual each year. There are other dental insurance plans that have a lifetime deductible instead.
Examples of dental insurance deductibles
| Insurance company | Top-scoring plan in Forbes Advisor’s analysis | Annual deductible (unless noted as lifetime) |
|---|---|---|
Ameritas | PrimeStar Access | $50 |
Anthem | Essential Choice PPO Platinum | $50 per person, up to $150 per family |
Cigna | Cigna Dental 1500 | $50 individual, $150 family |
Denali Dental | Ridge Plan 750/1500/2000/2500 | Lifetime $100 in-network deductible or lifetime $200 out-of-network deductible |
Guardian Direct | Diamond | In-network: $0 Out-of-network: $50 All Other Dental Services: $50 Teeth Whitening: $50 |
Humana | Preventive Value | Lifetime: $50 individual, $150 family |
Spirit Dental | Core Network | $100 lifetime deductible |
UnitedHealthcare | Primary Plus Dental | $50 for basic services |
Coinsurance
Coinsurance is the percentage of costs you and your dental insurance company share for dental care after you meet your deductible.
For instance, a dental insurance company may pay 80% of basic care and 50% of major care costs. Another company may pay 50% for basic care and not cover major care at all.
Preventive care typically doesn’t cost you anything when you have dental insurance, but basic care and major care generally have coinsurance percentages.
Examples of dental insurance coinsurance
| Insurance company | Top-scoring plan | Coinsurance for preventive care | Coinsurance for basic care | Coinsurance for major care |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Ameritas | PrimeStar Access | Plan pays In-network Day 1 100% Out-of-network 80% After year 1 100% Out-of-network 80% | Plan pays In-network Day 1 65% Out-of-network: 45% After year 1 80% Out-of-network: 60% | Plan pays In-network Day 1 20% Out-of-network: 10% After year 1 50% Out-of-network: 30% |
Anthem | Essential Choice PPO Platinum | 100% | In-network: 20% Out-of-network: 20% | In-network: 50% Out-of-network:50% |
Cigna | Cigna Dental 1500 | 100% | 80% | 50% |
Denali Dental | Ridge Plan 750/1500/2000/2500 | 100% for 2 exams per calendar year 4 cleanings per calendar year | Year 1: 10% Year 2: 25% Year 3: 40% Year 5: 50% | Year 1: 10% Year 2: 25% Year 3: 40% Year 5: 50% |
Guardian Direct | Diamond | 100% | 80% | 50% |
Spirit Dental | Core Network | 100% for 2 exams per year 3 cleanings per year | Year 1: 50% Year 2: 65% Year 3: 80% | Year 1; 25% After Year 1: 50% |
Delta Dental | Delta Dental PPO Individual – Premium Plan | 100% | 80% | 50% |
Humana | Preventive Value | 100% | 50% | Not covered |
UnitedHealthcare | Primary Plus Dental | 100% | Day 1 1: 50% After Year 1: 65% After Year 2: 80% | Not covered |
Dental Insurance Copayment
A dental insurance copayment is a predetermined amount that you pay at the time of service. Copays are generally a low amount like $20 or $30 that you pay even after you have exceeded your deductible.
Preventive care often comes with no copay since dental insurance companies want you to take care of your teeth to reduce the chance of more expensive care later.
Dental Insurance Annual Maximum
Dental insurance plans generally have annual maximums. These limits are the max that a dental insurance company will pay for your dental work in a year or lifetime.
Examples of dental insurance annual maximums
| Insurance company | Top-scoring plan | Annual maximum |
|---|---|---|
Ameritas | PrimeStar Access | Day 1: $1,000 After Year 1: $2,000 Covers a maximum amount per person per benefit period for basic and major services combined. |
Denali Dental | Ridge Plan 750/1500/2000/2500 | Year 1: $750 Year 2: $1,500 Year 3: $2,000 Year 4: $2,500 |
Guardian Direct | Diamond | $1,500 Dental Implants: Lifetime max $1,000 Orthodontia: Yearly max $500 Lifetime max $1,000 Teeth whitening: yearly max $500 |
Anthem | Essential Choice PPO Platinum | $2,000 with annual maximum carryover |
Cigna | Cigna Dental 1500 | $1,500 |
Delta Dental | Delta Dental PPO Individual – Premium Plan | $2,000 |
Humana | Preventive Value | Unlimited |
Spirit Dental | Core Network | $1,200 |
UnitedHealthcare | Primary Plus Dental | $1,000 |
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What Is Dental Insurance?
Dental insurance provides coverage to help protect you financially from the high costs of dental care. Policies are separate from your primary health insurance, though some health insurers provide dental insurance plans.
Dental insurance may be offered to you as an employment benefit, or you can buy a plan from a dental insurance company.
How Does Dental Insurance Work?
Most dental plans work this way:
- You pay a monthly premium.
- You may face waiting periods for some types of care, but preventive care (such as cleanings) often doesn’t have a waiting period.
- You may need a primary dentist in the insurance provider’s network.
- There may be an out-of-pocket deductible to meet before your plan covers a percentage of the out-of-pocket costs for care.
- Most plans have an annual maximum allowance.
- Your plan may require a copay for dentist visits.
- Most preventive care is covered 100% by the dental plan—this includes an annual exam, cleaning and X-rays.
What Does Dental Insurance Cover?
Dental insurance policies typically cover preventive services, but how much more they cover varies by plan. Some policies cover a percentage of the cost of basic services, while others cover some of the cost of both basic and major services.
Routine and Preventive Services
- Generally covered at 100% of the costs
- Cleanings and check-ups every six months
- Annual X-rays
Basic Services
- Coverage percentage varies, but often 80% of the costs
- Fillings
- Simple extractions
Major Services
- Coverage percentage varies, but often 50% of the costs
- Root canals
- Bridges
- Crowns
- Dentures
- Implants
What Doesn’t Dental Insurance Cover?
Dental insurance generally doesn’t cover services like:
- Cosmetic dentistry that’s not medically necessary
- Bonding
- Non-essential veneer placement
Dental insurance may not cover the services below. Make sure to read the fine print if you’re interested in this dental work because there might be lifetime maximum benefits or waiting periods to get the services even if they’re covered:
- Teeth whitening
- Orthodontics (braces)
If your policy provides coverage for one or more of these services, it may be at a smaller percentage.
Types of Dental Insurance Plans
Dental insurance plans differ by whether you can get out-of-network care and how much plans pay for different types of care.
Dental Preferred Provider Organizations (DPPO)
A DPPO uses a network of dental providers to provide care for an agreed-upon fee. You can also get out-of-network care at a higher cost. These policies generally have higher premiums since they come with more flexibility.
Dental Health Maintenance Organizations (DHMO)
A DHMO offers lower-cost coverage with a network of dental providers. Some services are covered 100%, while others may require you to pay a small copayment. You usually have to stay within a DHMO’s network to get reimbursed for care.
Fee-for-Service Plans
Fee-for-service dental plans, also known as traditional or indemnity plans, don’t have provider networks. You can see any dentist.
These plans pay a percentage for each service and you pay the rest. A fee-for-service plan doesn’t contract with dentists, which means they don’t have discounted fees like a PPO or DHMO.
Discount or Dental Savings Plans
Discount dental plans aren’t actually dental insurance. They instead offer discounts at participating discounts and you pay for treatment at the discounted rate determined by the plan.
Should You Get Dental Insurance?
Whether dental insurance is worth it for you depends on how much you pay for dental care and whether the cost of dental insurance would offset those costs.
Here are the average costs of dental services without dental insurance, according to Humana.
Preventive Services
- Basic cleaning and polish: $75-$200
- Panoramic dental X-rays: $100-$200
Basic Services
- Fillings: $50-$250, depending on the size of the cavity and the material used for the filling
- Tooth extraction: $75-$800, depending on the size and location of the tooth and the difficulty of the procedure
Major Services
- Root canal: $500-$1,500, depending on the location of the tooth (front teeth are less expensive than those in the back)
- Crowns: $500-$2,000, depending on the material used.
- Dentures: $600-$8,000 for a full set, depending on the type and the material used.
There are additional costs for the crown, the abutment (connects the crown to implant), tooth and root extraction, office visits and pre/post-op care.
Those costs could do a number on your wallet. But whether dental insurance is worth the expense depends on how much you want to spend on a dental plan and how much coverage you want.
Best Dental Insurance Companies Of 2024
Learn More
Methodology
To find the best dental insurance we scored 30 stand-alone dental plans. Only the top-scoring plans from each company are shown. Benefit details can vary by state, so check the plan brochure for details. Ratings are based on the following criteria:
- Cost. We compared costs for a 30-year-old female in California. When California wasn’t available we used Texas: 30% of score.
- Annual maximum insurance payout: 10% of score.
- No waiting period for preventive care: 10% of score.
- Basic care payout level: 10% of score.
- Basic care waiting period: 10% of score.
- Major care coverage in the first year: 10% of score.
- Coverage for implants: 10% of score.
- Coverage for orthodontia: 10% of score.
