
Understanding dental plans
Orthodontic care and dental insuranceDental discount plans are membership plans similar to those for grocery stores or wholesale clubs. But instead of bargains on steaks and TVs, you get discounted prices on dental services.
Let’s take a closer look at how they work, how they compare to traditional dental insurance and more.
Dental discount plans are annual membership programs. You pay 1 fee up front when you buy the plan, or split the annual fee into monthly installments, then pay out of pocket for the discounted dental services you get throughout the year.
Here’s how a discount dental plan typically works:
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With traditional dental insurance, preventive services like cleanings and exams are typically 100% covered. Other services like fillings, root canals and crowns are usually partially covered (20%–50%) depending on the plan you choose. A dental savings plan may offer discounts or pay a percentage for certain services, but it won’t cover 100% of the cost of any procedure.
Another good topic to compare is an annual benefit limit. Nearly all traditional dental insurance plans have annual limits—a cap on how much it’ll pay for your dental care in a year. Most dental discount plans don’t have annual limits, so you can get dental services all year long and pay the discounted rates every time.
Premiums
No
Yes, $20–$50/month for an individual and $50–$150/month for a family2
Membership fees (annual fee)
Yes, typically around $1503
No
Copays
No
Depends on plan, typically yes
Deductible
No
Depends on plan, typically yes
Waiting periods
No
Depends on plan
Annual benefit limit
None
Yes
Pay dentist directly
Yes
No
If you fall into 1 of these categories, a dental discount plan could make sense for you:
Note: If you need help making a decision, talk to a licensed insurance agent about which plan type would work best for your needs.
You can have both dental insurance and a dental savings plan, but you cannot use them both for the same procedure. However, some dentists may let you use a dental discount plan to reduce your out-of-pocket costs after you’ve reached the annual maximum limit on your dental insurance.
It can depend on the plan provider, but most discount dental plans have no waiting period. For example, discount dental plans from Humana have no waiting period, so you can start saving on dental care right away.
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