The 5 Best Dental Insurance Plans For Individuals

Dental insurance is an insurance plan that helps cover the cost of dental care. When it comes to finding the best dental insurance plan for individuals. There are many different types of dental insurance plans, and each has its own benefits and drawbacks.

Some plans cover only basic dental care, while others cover more extensive dental care. Dental insurance plans are often categorized as either managed care plans or fee-for-service plans.

Managed care plans, such as dental HMOs and PPOs, typically have lower monthly premiums but higher out-of-pocket costs. Fee-for-service plans, on the other hand, have higher monthly premiums but lower out-of-pocket costs.

To determine which type of dental insurance plan is best for you, it is important to consider your needs and budget. Keep reading to learn more about the best dental insurance plans for individuals!

Key Takeaways

  • The five best dental insurance plans for individuals
  • The most common type of dental insurance
  • Answer to most likely frequent ask questions on best dental insurance plans for individuals
Best Dental Insurance Plans For Individuals
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The Most Common Type Of Dental Insurance

Understanding the critical distinctions between the various forms of dental insurance might assist you in selecting the best plan for you.

Dental insurance is offered in a variety of forms. The following things should be considered while choosing a dental insurance plan:

  • Are a deductible and coinsurance required?
  • Is it necessary for you to select a primary care dentist?
  • Is it essential to see dentists inside a particular network to be covered?

1. Dental Health Maintenance Organization (DHMO) 

DHMO plans are among the least expensive options for dental insurance. Ordinarily, there is just a flat fee and no deductible for non-preventive dental procedures. Most preventative dental care, including regular cleanings, exams, and X-rays, is often completely covered.

Since you must choose a primary care dentist from the network, costs are frequently cheaper. Typically, these plans do not pay for out-of-network dental appointments (there may be exceptions for some emergency services). More localized and compact networks are conceivable. A network of dentists has agreed to lower their costs. As part of their plan coverage, patients gain from these cost reductions.

DHMO plans frequently do not include an annual restriction on the number of covered services. This suggests that you won’t have to worry about “running out” of coverage regardless of how many qualified dental operations you need in a given year.

2.   Dental Indemnity Plan

A type of dental insurance that offers excellent flexibility is called dental indemnity. It can also be referred to as a “conventional” or “fee-for-service” dental plan. You do not need to choose a primary care dentist, and depending on the plan, you might not even need a referral to visit a specialist or get emergency dental care.

A Dental Indemnity plan must have an annual deductible and coinsurance. Up until your deductible is reached, you will pay for treatments out of your pocket. The cost of covered services will then be shared between you and your dental plan up to what your plan deems reasonable, customary, and valuable.

Usually, these dental insurance policies cost more. A Dental Indemnity plan may be perfect for you if you appreciate having a lot of alternatives and few limitations.

3. Dental Preferred Provider Organization (DPPO)

DPPO plans provide a network of suppliers from which to pick. You can go to a dentist, not in the network, but your fees will be more significant.

Annual deductibles and coinsurance are standard features of DPPOs. Once your deductible is met, your dental plan will begin contributing costs as part of the coinsurance up to the yearly limit.

Most in-network preventative dental treatment, including cleanings, routine examinations, and routine X-rays, is fully covered. For any care beyond preventative, you may be asked to pay a copay at the time of your appointment and share expenses with your plan.

If you want to see dentists in the network, a DPPO can help you keep your expenditures down. This is one of the most popular and widely used forms of dental plans.

4. Dental Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) Plans

The first category to examine is dental HMO insurance. These plans are also known as pre-paid plans. Members are allocated to a dentist, who is paid a predetermined monthly amount. According to the American Dental Association, these payments allow members to access contracted treatments at no or minimal cost (ADA).

Dental HMOs are a low-cost option for dental insurance. Dental expenditures are easy to budget because routine procedures are given for free or at a discounted cost. This advantage comes with certain drawbacks. According to the ADA, you must typically seek treatment at your designated dentist’s clinic to receive a benefit. You may pay the full fee if you see a different dentist.

The 5 Best Dental Insurance Plans For Individuals

The best dental insurance plans offer an extensive network of dentists, fair yearly benefit caps, and the possibility of affordable rates. When looking for the finest dental insurance provider, compare and study the dental policies you’re considering to know exactly what’s covered and what isn’t.

1.   Humana Dental 

Humana dental insurance offers six dental plan alternatives, including four in-network and out-of-network plans, one dental savings plan, and a reasonably priced HMO with a constrained provider network.

The first five PPO plans offered by Humana Dental offer varied coverage levels to accommodate each beneficiary’s requirements and financial constraints.

Preventive Value PPO is ideal for consumers looking for low-cost preventive treatment.

The Bright Plus PPO plan gives veterans savings on medications, vision and hearing care, and basic procedures such as fillings and minor extractions.

They particularly enjoyed the Loyalty Plus PPO plan since there are no waiting periods for any covered benefit, even significant work.

Humana raises benefits yearly until the third year of enrollment, and coverage begins as soon as the plan is activated. By the third year, the insurance has covered 100% of preventive care, 70% of regular treatment, and 50% of significant work, up to a $1,500 yearly cap.

Humana also provides a Dental Value HMO plan and a dental savings plan. Dental Value HMO, which starts at $11.99 per month, covers preventive, essential, and significant operations with no waiting periods, deductibles, or yearly restrictions.

This insurance is best suited for those who choose low premiums and don’t mind a limited provider network or set copayment costs.

PROS:

  • A large number of suppliers are involved.
  • There is only one plan with no waiting periods for preventative, primary, and significant care.
  • It is ranked second in the 2021 U.S. Dental Plan Satisfaction Report by J.D. Power.

CONS:

  • Many of its state subsidiaries have a high NAIC complaint index.
  • Implants are not covered.
  • There is no coverage for orthodontic care.

2.   DentaQuest Dental

DentaQuest’s Personal Dental Plus plan, which costs less than $15 a month, covers 100% of preventive services, 50% of primary care, and 30% of major procedures.

DentaQuest provides complete and preventative dental treatment substantially cheaper than its competitors.

For $8.35 per month, the Personal Dental Plan is a preventive-only plan that includes annual cleanings, X-rays, and assessments. Extractions, fillings, denture repairs, and oral surgery are covered under the Personal Dental Coverage Basic and Personal Dental Plus plan.

The following insurance provides complete DentaQuest coverage:

  • Comprehensive Ortho 15000 Personal Dental Plan (annual benefit limit of $1,500)
  • Comprehensive Ortho 2000 Personal Dental Plan (yearly benefit limit of $2,000)

Both plans cover 100% preventative treatment, 80% essential work, and 50% significant operations for children and adults, including braces.

PROS:

  • Options for preventive, primary, and significant care begin at $8.35.
  • Children’s and adults’ orthodontic coverage
  • Locate a dentist in your area.

CONS:

  • The waiting period of 18 months for significant work
  • There is no out-of-network coverage.
  • In J.D. Power’s 2021 Dental Plan, it ranks close to the industry average.
  • Customer Satisfaction Survey

3.   Spirit Dental

Spirit Dental waives waiting for periods for all dental coverage; one of the few providers, even for therapeutic and experimental procedures. Spirit Dental’s plans are divided into two categories: Network and Choice.

Network plans give the best pricing with providers in the permitted network, whereas Choice plans allow beneficiaries to choose their chosen provider with no network restrictions. The cost of premiums and out-of-pocket expenses is higher due to this flexibility.

Spirit Dental’s Pinnacle Choice and Pinnacle Network plan have a yearly calendar year limit of up to $5,000. (except in Connecticut, Illinois, and New York).

This benefit is a significant increase above the standard $1,500 cap, massive relief for policyholders who need to fund expensive operations like implants or dentures. Beneficiaries must, however, pay exorbitant premium rates and wait until year three of enrollment to be eligible for the entire $5,000.

PROS:

  • There are no waiting periods on any plan.
  • Optional plan with a $5,000 yearly maximum restriction
  • Three dental cleanings each year are included.
  • It is available in 50 states.

CONS:

  • Premiums are expensive.
  • Adult orthodontia is not covered.
  • There are no HMO plans available.

4. Delta Dental

Delta Dental is a beautiful alternative for families and individuals needing orthodontic care because of its national availability, comprehensive dental insurance, and no upper age restriction for braces.

Delta Dental is one of the few suppliers that offer orthodontic benefits to children and adults over the age of 19. Three plan options were returned in sample quotes from California, Florida, and New York, two of which included orthodontic coverage.

Delta PPO Premium covers routine care at 100% and essential and significant treatments at 20% to 50%. Orthodontic treatment is covered at 50% up to a lifetime limit of $1,500.

DeltaCareUSA, the company’s low-cost HMO dental plan, establishes fixed copayment rates for preventive, primary, and primary dental services (including orthodontia) with no deductibles or yearly restrictions.

PROS:

  • NAIC complaint index is low.
  • Preventative services don’t have a waiting time.
  • State and federal exchanges are both available (marketplaces)
  • Teeth whitening is included in some plans.

CONS:

  • The available plans vary significantly by state.

5.   Guardian Direct

Guardian Direct differentiates because every insurance except the Starter offers 50% significant work coverage.

Guardian Direct’s Core plan, which starts at $23.62, includes operations including dental crowns, oral surgery, implants, and dentures. Annual maximum restrictions begin at $500 and increase to $1,000 by year three, with a separate lifetime maximum of $700 for dental implants.

The Achiever plan, in the intermediate tier, includes orthodontic coverage for persons under the age of 19 and raises the yearly maximum limitations. The plan begins with a $1,000 cap and gradually increases to $1,500 by the third year.

Finally, the Diamond plan begins with a $1,500 maximum payment limit for the first year and includes teeth whitening coverage (limited to $500).

PROS:

  • There are PPO and DHMO plans available.
  • Broad provider network
  • NAIC complaint index is low.

CONS:

  • It performs poorer than the industry average in J.D. Power’s 2021 Dental Plan Satisfaction Study.
  • Adults do not have orthodontic coverage.

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Conclusion

A dental plan costs range from $17 to $96 each month. The price varies according to the plan type, degree of coverage, and state of residency.

The cheapest plans offer preventative care but little to no coverage for basic and essential services. On the other hand, the plans with the highest rates provide shorter or no waiting periods, higher annual limitations, and total coverage for significant, primary, and preventive work.

If full dental coverage is out of reach for you or your family, look into low-cost alternatives to dental health insurance, including dental school clinics and state aid programs. This dentist in Ballantyne also adds that you can always speak with your dentist about the different payment options that they offer. You’ll be surprised at how much flexibility most dentists offer for their payment plans.

FAQS

Does Cigna Dental Insurance Cover Implants?

Dental implants, crowns, and even teeth whitening are covered under Cigna Dental Care DHMO plans, and you may save money with copayments, coinsurance, and savings.

What Is Cigna Dental Allowance?

Benefits of up to $1,500 are available. Dental check-ups, cleanings, and regular x-rays are all free4. Orthodontics is provided on specific plans. You may go to any dentist you like, but you’ll save more money using one in the Cigna Advantage DPPO network.

What Is A Deductible In Dental Insurance?

What is the definition of an annual dental insurance deductible? A dental insurance deductible is the amount of money you must pay before your dental plan begins to pay for approved dental procedures.

What Is Lifetime Deductible?

The amount of money you must spend once in your life for qualified dental charges before your insurance plan begins paying for Basic, Major Restorative Care Services and Orthodontia, assuming your plan covers these services.

You can learn more from the video below:

About Author

Best Dental Insurance Plans For Individuals
Lydia Alolade
I am a professional article and e-book writer with 4 years of experience, I write on well research content on cryptocurrency, stocks, loans and finances.

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