Comparing Dental Savings Plans vs. Dental Insurance

You have three choices when it comes to paying for dental care: pay the full cost out-of-pocket, get dental insurance to help absorb some of the costs of treatment, or get reduced rates on dental services with a dental savings plan. Read on to find out which option is right for you. 

What is Dental Insurance?

Dental insurance pays a portion of the costs associated with dental services. Purchasers of dental insurance pay a monthly rate, called a “premium,” for coverage. 

A typical dental insurance plan typically offer what is known as”100-80-50″ coverage. This means the plan will pay 100% of the cost of routine preventive and diagnostic care – typically two checkups with cleanings annually. It will also pay 80% of the cost of basic services such as fillings or root canals, and 50% of the cost of major procedures such as crowns and bridges after you pay your deductible, and any waiting periods have been met.  

Your deductible is the amount you must pay out of pocket for dental services before your insurance starts to cover its portion of the costs. Deductibles are typically $50 for an individual, and $150 for a family.  

Many insurance plans have a yearly spending cap too, usually $1,000 to $1,500 per year. After your insurer has paid that amount, you pay out-of-pocket for any additional care and procedures that you may need, until your plan resets at the beginning of the plan year (the month and day when you initially purchased your plan). 

Individual dental insurance comes in three forms:

Dental Health Maintenance Organization (DHMO) 

• Low premium payments, no annual spending limit, must use in-network dentists (typically you are assigned to a dental practice by your insurer), may be restrictions on how often you can access some dental services. 

Dental Preferred Provider Organization (DPPO) 

• More expensive than DHMO, has an annual spending limit, typically has a much wider network of dentists and specialists, you can choose an in-network or out-of-network dentist (you’ll pay more for out-of-network).  

Dental indemnity insurance 

• Similar to a PPO, but more expensive. Has an annual maximum spending limit of $2,500 or $3,500+. Plan members pay dentist bill in full, are later reimbursed a set amount. Small if any deductible, very wide range of dentists to choose from. This type of insurance is harder to find than DPPO or DHMO plans. 

What do I need to know about dental insurance and the Affordable Care Act (ACA)?

There are two types of dental insurance available through the Marketplace; health care plans that include dental insurance (embedded) and stand-alone plans. You cannot buy a stand-alone plan on the federal Marketplace unless you also purchase a health care policy. ACA dental insurance is often focused on pediatric care, but there are some family plans available. 

When purchasing ACA dental insurance, check to see if the dental portion has a separate deductible. Otherwise, you may have to meet your healthcare insurance deductible, which can be thousands of dollars ($5,800 is the average deductible for silver plans in 2023) before your dental insurance can be used for anything but basic preventive care.  

Tips for purchasing dental insurance

• People typically get dental insurance through their employer. You can also purchase a plan through an insurance broker or from the Marketplace (healthcare.gov). 
• If you plan to purchase dental insurance to cover the costs of extensive services that you know you will need soon, remember that dental insurance policies often impose waiting periods – typically 6-12 months from the start of the policy – before they will cover major procedures. 
• Dental insurance often will not pay to restore teeth that were missing before you purchased the policy, or work that was underway prior to the policy going into effect. 
• If you anticipate needing major work eventually, you may want to look for a policy with a high spending limit now. You would pay higher premiums but may be less likely to max out your coverage in one visit. 
• Review policies not just for price. Check to see if the covered services are the ones that matter to you.  

What are dental savings plans?

Dental savings plans (also known as discount dental plans) are a trusted alternative to dental insurance that make dental care simple, flexible and worry free. Plan members pay an annual membership fee to unlock access to savings on virtually all dental procedures at more than 140,000 dentists and specialists nationwide – about 70% of dental practices in the U.S.  

Plan members report an average savings of 50%* on their dental care and can use their plan as often as needed. While dental insurance typically has annual maximums, deductibles and waiting periods, dental savings plans do not. Plans activate within 72 hours and do not have restrictions based on current health conditions, so you can save on what you need, right away. 

You can save on preventive care such as annual checkups and cleanings, as well as restorative care – crowns, root canals, braces, dental bridges, dentures, dental implants – even the cosmetic procedures that are not typically covered by dental insurance.  

Some dental savings plans also offer savings on vision and hearing care as well as other health and wellness services. If specific services/treatments are important to you, check plan details to make sure they are included.  

Tips for purchasing a dental savings plan

• Choose a plan that offers savings on the treatments you need, whether that be restorative services such as crowns, braces, implants, or dentures, or preventive care like your check-ups and cleanings. (Tip: when you join a plan through DentalPlans.com, you can easily switch your plan whenever your dental needs change.) 
• If you have a dentist, ask them which dental savings plans they accept. 
• If you don’t have a dentist, choose the plan that fits your needs best, and then select a dentist from the list of participating dentists in your area. 

Our best advice: use the tools on DentalPlans.com, and/or talk to a DentalPlans.com customer support team member for assistance in choosing the plan that’s right for you. DentalPlans.com makes it easy to find your perfect plan with personalized recommendations and 20+ years of experience in helping people access affordable, quality dental care. 

Curious how much you can save with a dental savings plan? Use the calculator below for a quick look.  

*Discount Health Program consumer and provider surveys indicate average savings of 50%. Savings may vary by provider, location, and plan.