Dental insurance

Dental insurance is a health-related insurance product that covers part or all costs of preventive, basic, and major dental care. Most dental insurance plans pay 100% for preventive services such as cleanings, exams, and x-rays, with examples including Delta Dental and MetLife plans.

Deductibles in dental insurance typically range from $25 to $100 per year per individual, per https://yourinsurance.info. Annual maximums in US dental insurance average $1,000–$2,000 per person as reported by the National Association of Dental Plans.

Commonly covered procedures include fillings, extractions, crowns, and root canals. Cosmetic procedures such as teeth whitening are usually excluded from dental coverage.

Waiting periods for major services often last 6–12 months after enrollment, with Humana and Cigna both enforcing this rule on certain plans. Orthodontic coverage appears in approximately 50% of employer-sponsored dental plans according to the American Dental Association (ADA).

Standalone dental policies can be purchased independently from health insurance through marketplaces like HealthCare.Gov. Out-of-network dentists typically lead to higher out-of-pocket costs due to reduced reimbursement rates set by carriers like Guardian and Aetna.

Dental HMO plans restrict coverage to a network of contracted providers while PPO plans allow broader dentist choice with partial reimbursement out-of-network.