Best Dental Insurance Plans for Seniors in 2024
It goes without saying that as we age, our bodies require more attention. This is especially true of our teeth. However, Medicare doesn’t cover most dental care, including cleanings, tooth extractions, fillings, dentures, or other dental devices.
While some people receive dental coverage through retirement plans, Medicare Advantage plans with dental, or employer-based plans, private insurance offers a surprisingly affordable way to pay for dental care, both routine and specialized. In this article, We’ll look at some of the broad strokes of dental coverage for older adults and highlight our favorite providers for seniors.
Why Seniors Should Consider Dental Insurance
Older adults might want dental insurance because Original Medicare does not cover routine dental procedures, such as cleanings, fillings, dentures, extractions, and root canals. As dental health is crucial for overall well-being, neglecting it can lead to serious health issues like infections, heart disease, and diabetes complications.
Dental insurance helps manage the cost of regular dental care, preventing expensive treatments down the line. It also ensures access to preventive care and timely treatments, maintaining oral health and quality of life. Thus, having dental insurance provides financial protection and promotes better health outcomes for older adults.
Methodology
Navigating the dental insurance market can be a bit nerve-wracking, not unlike going to the dentist. To help you find the best dental plans for older adults, we evaluated them based on the following criteria:
- Affordability: We always look for providers with affordable premiums, but we also gave high marks to providers with lower deductibles and copays, especially for routine care. Expect to pay about $20 to $70 a month for dental care, with an average price of around $37 per month.
- Coverage limits: Between dentures, crowns, bridges, and implants, dental care for older adults can be costly. Because of this, we looked for providers with high maximum coverage limits.
- Network availability: We looked for providers that had large networks and nationwide availability of coverage. Plans with no network restrictions were also a plus.
- Short waiting periods: While most dental insurers will cover routine services right away, they’ll often employ waiting periods before you receive coverage for certain procedures. To help you get maximum coverage as soon as possible, we looked for insurers with shorter waiting periods.
Savings tip: If saving money is of the utmost concern, then take a look at my rundown of affordable dental insurance for seniors.
The Best Dental Insurance for Seniors
- Spirit Dental : No Network Restrictions
- Humana Dental : Best Comprehensive Dental Coverage
- Aetna Dental : No-Cost Preventive Care
- Cigna Dental : Simple Claims Process
- Delta Dental : Best Affordable Option
- UnitedHealthcare Dental : No Waiting Periods
Dental Insurance for Seniors Compared
| Provider | Annual coverage maximum | Maximum waiting period | Deductible | Monthly premium estimate* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spirit Dental | $5,000 | None | $100 lifetime | $18.30 to $49.79 |
| Humana | $1,500 |
|
$50 to $150 | $18.99 to $53.99 |
| Aetna | Unlimited | None if you’ve had dental insurance within the past 90 days** | $50 or $0 | $19.80 to $52.09 |
| Cigna | None | 12 Months | $0 to $250 | $19 to $39 |
| Delta |
|
0-12 months | $0 or $50 | $17.32 to $38.42 |
| UnitedHealthcare | $2,000 | None, but in Illinois and Connecticut, 6 months on major services | $50 or $100 | $45.17 to $66.49 |
*Premium estimates are for a 65-year-old man living in Pennsylvania.
**If you haven’t had dental insurance in the past 90 days, you’ll have a waiting period of one month for resin fillings and uncomplicated extractions, six months for periodontal maintenance cleanings and occlusal adjustments, and 12 months for major services.
Best Dental Insurance Providers
1. Spirit Dental - No Network Restrictions
View Plans
Links to Spirit Dental
What We Like Most:
- Plans with no network restrictions
- Plans made specifically for seniors
- No waiting periods required
- Implant, extraction, and prosthetic coverage
Overview
Spirit Dental offers a large number of dental plans for people of all ages. While each plan will differ slightly in terms of coverage and costs, they all provide full coverage for cleanings and exams. All of their plans also require no waiting periods for coverage to begin, even on major procedures.
Spirit Dental Plans for Seniors
| Spirit Dental plan | Spirit Preventive Plus PPO | Spirit Core PPO | Spirit Flex | Spirit Senior Preferred PPO | Spirit Pinnacle PPO | Spirit Flex Plus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly premium | $18.30 | $31.40 | $35.78 | $39.30 | $42.25 | $49.79 |
| Deductible | $100 lifetime | $100 lifetime | $100 lifetime | $100 lifetime | $100 lifetime | $100 lifetime |
| Annual coverage limit | $1,000 | $1,200 | $2,000 | $3,000 | $5,000 | $2,500 |
| Preventive coinsurance | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Basic procedures coinsurance | 50% | 50% | 50% | 65% | 50% | 50% |
| Major procedures coinsurance | 20% | 25% | 15% | 20% | 25% | 20% |
Finding a Dentist: Spirit’s dental plans are underwritten by the Ameritas Life Insurance Corporation, and they utilize the same dental network. To find an in-network dental care provider, all I had to do was go to their website and search by ZIP code.
When I looked in Portland, Oregon, the result yielded 368 providers in the PPO network, 200 of which were the closest match. To make things even easier, Ameritas (Spirit’s underwriter) highlighted the most cost-effective providers in green. I could sort by distance, showing the closest dentists first, as well as name and specialty. This easy-to-use website made finding a dentist a breeze. I could even create a PDF of the results and print it, convenient for those who prefer reading on paper as opposed to a screen.
Making a Claim: With Spirit Dental, your in-network dentist can file claims for you, or you can file them through their online claims manager. Personally, I like for my dentist to do it for me, so I can be in and out without having to do any paperwork or wait on long hold times.
Out-of-Network Coverage: Most of Spirit Dental’s plans provide full coverage within their network of dental providers; however, all of their plans allow you to use any provider, regardless of network. That being said, you’ll see more savings with an in-network provider. For example, with the Spirit Preventive Plus PPO plan, the Spirit Core PPO plan, the Spirit Senior Preferred PPO plan, and the Spirit Pinnacle plan, I could save 25 to 50 percent by going in-network.
Let’s say I have the Spirit Preventive Plus PPO plan, which, during the first year, pays for 50 percent of basic procedures. Let’s also imagine that I need a composite filling on two teeth, which costs $250, and that I have already paid my $100 lifetime deductible. In this case, Spirit covers basic procedures up to $750, but with the in-network discount (let’s say 25 percent), that could only cost $187.50. This leaves me with $562.50 for the rest of the year to spend on basic services, whereas if I had gone out-of-network, I would have only had $500 of coverage left, which could easily be wiped out by a major procedure and have me paying out-of-pocket.
Restrictions: Some of Spirit Dental’s plans increase in their coverage amount as you hold the policy for a number of years. For example, with the Senior Flex Plus plan, during the first year, the plan will cover only 50 percent of basic services and 20 percent of major services. However, in the second year, the coverage increases to 70 percent and 40 percent, respectively, then 80 percent and 50 percent in the third year.
Waiting Periods: All of Spirit Dental’s plans have no waiting periods. This is not the case with other providers like Delta and Humana, where you could wait up to a year for treatment with some plans.
Pros
- Hearing-health benefits on some plans
- No waiting periods
- Coverage for major procedures
- Full coverage of preventive services
Cons
- Lowest coverage the first year with many plans (the plan with the least amount of coverage in terms of a percentage, Spirit Flex, only covers 50 percent of basic procedures and 15 percent of major procedures.)
2. Humana Dental - Best Comprehensive Dental Coverage
View Plans
Links to Humana Dental
What We Like Most:
- Coverage for root canals, oral surgery, and dentures
- Plans with no waiting periods
- No network restrictions
- Plans with no waiting periods
Overview
Humana dental insurance for seniors offers five different dental plans, with options for preventive care, vision coverage, and lifetime deductibles. With a nationwide network of over 335,000 dentists and specialist locations, they make it easy to find affordable care that works with their dental policies.
Humana Dental Insurance for Seniors
| Humana Dental plan | Preventive Value | Bright Plus for Veterans | Bright Plus | Loyalty Plus | Complete Dental |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly premium | $18.99 | $27.71 | $27.71 | $38.99 | $53.99 |
| Deductible | $50 | $50 | $50 | $150 | $50 |
| Coverage limit | Unlimited | $1,250 | $1,250 | Year 1: $1,000
Year 2: $12,50 Year 3: $1,500 |
Year 1: $1,250
Year 2: $1,500 |
| Preventive coinsurance | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Basic procedures coinsurance | 50% | 40% | 40% | Year 1: 60%
Year 2: 45% Year 3: 30% |
20% |
| Major procedures coinsurance | Not covered | Not covered | Not covered | Year 1: 80%
Year 2: 70% Year 3: 50% |
50% |
Finding a Dentist: To find dental care with Humana, I used their online “Find a Dentist” tool. I was able to enter my ZIP code, choose a distance (I chose 15 miles), and find nearby dentists and other dental care professionals in their network. I could search by coverage type based on what plan I had (either PPO, Dental HMO, or all networks), or by Member ID to make sure that the dentist accepted my plan. I selected Preventive Plus and chose not to add any more information, although I could have added by specialty.
In less than a second, I had 1,310 results (compare that to Spirit’s 368 results!), which I could sort by distance or last name. I could also filter by:
- Accessibility, like handicap-accessible buildings
- Accreditation and certifications
- Affiliations
- Gender
- Languages spoken
And, similar to the search with Spirit Dental, the website let me save the results as a PDF and print it, which many seniors will prefer.
>> Read More: Humana Medicare Advantage Plans Review
Making a Claim: Submitting claims with Humana can be done either online or via traditional mail. In our experience, the electronic claims process was quick and simple, as long as we remembered to include all necessary National Provider Identifiers (NPIs) on our claims.
Out-of-Network Coverage: All five of Humana’s dental plans are PPOs, meaning you can use your coverage with any dentist; however, seeing an in-network dentist will result in discounts, which will vary by provider and service. With the Complete Dental plan, for instance, I could save an average of 28 percent by choosing an in-network dentist. That may or may not beat Spirit’s in-network discount of 25 to 50 percent.
Restrictions: Several of Humana’s plans have coinsurance that decreases the amount you pay in successive years. For example, with their Loyalty Plus policy, you’ll pay 60 percent of the cost of fillings in the initial year of your policy. This lowers to 45 and then 30 percent after the second and third years. Like most providers, Humana rewards its customers for loyalty, which is good, as I am as loyal as a dog when it comes to quality patient care.
Waiting Periods: With Humana, waiting periods vary with each plan. Complete Dental requires a 30-day waiting period on basic services and a 12-month period for major procedures. Loyalty Plus, however, has no waiting periods. I would choose Loyalty Plus, as I don’t want to be stuck without dental care when I’m having dental pain.
To learn more about this provider, read our rundown of Humana dental plans for seniors.
Pros
- 80% coverage for basic procedures
- Yearly teeth whitening allowance
- No waiting periods on some plans
- Low deductibles
Cons
- Higher costs for preventive plan
- Enrollment fees in some states
3. Aetna Dental - No-Cost Preventive Care
View Plans
Links to Aetna Dental
What We Like Most:
- Extensive network with more than 420,000 providers to choose from
- Easy-to-use quote tool and provider lookup portal
- No-cost preventive care
- PPO plans
Overview
Aetna dental insurance for seniors offers three different plans to choose from. Aetna Direct Core PPO comes with lower premiums, and Direct Preferred PPO provides more favorable splits in payment for basic procedures like fillings and extractions. They also have Direct Preventive, which only covers the costs of preventive dental care like cleanings. I recommend getting a PPO plan, as you don’t want to pay out of pocket for expensive procedures like root canals or tooth implants.
Aetna Dental Insurance for Seniors
| Aetna Dental plan | Direct Preferred PPO | Direct Core PPO | Direct Preventive PPO |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly premium | $52.09 | $45.41 | $19.80 |
| Deductible | $50 | $50 | $0 |
| Coverage limit | $1,250 | $1,000 | No maximum |
| Preventive coinsurance | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Basic procedures coinsurance | 20% | 50% | Not covered |
| Major procedures coinsurance | 50% | 50% | Not covered |
Finding a Dentist: The Aetna portal is intuitive, allowing members to search from nearly 420,000 practitioners by specialty, area, and the number of miles they’re willing to travel. Living in a city, I prefer practitioners who I can walk to, or take public transportation to if need be.
Making a Claim: As an industry leader in health insurance, Aetna’s claims and customer service process is one of the best in the business, with a suite of tech tools and apps to help track your claims. Clients find it easy to check the status of their claims by phone or online through ClaimConnect; submit claims electronically to save time; or send a form through the mail to the Aetna office in Lexington, Kentucky. Whether you’re more tech-savvy or prefer snail mail, you shouldn’t have any trouble filing a claim with Aetna.
Out-of-Network Coverage: Aetna supports out-of-network coverage, but choosing an out-of-network provider will be more expensive as their costs don’t qualify under Aetna’s negotiated prices. For example, you won’t pay anything for cleanings in-network, but out-of-network, you’ll pay 20 percent with both of Aetna’s dental plans. Plus, in-network dentists will result in higher annual limits of $250. See below for the exact numbers of how much you’ll pay in vs. out-of-network.
| Plan | Direct Preferred PPO | Direct Preferred PPO | Direct Core PPO | Direct Core PPO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What you’ll pay by provider | In-network | Out-of-network | In-network | Out-of-network |
| Preventive oral examinations | 0% | 20% | 0% | 20% |
| Cleanings | 0% | 20% | 0% | 20% |
| Full-mouth series images | 0% | 20% | 0% | 20% |
| Sealants (permanent molars only) | 0% | 20% | 0% | 20% |
| Resin filling (1 surface) | 20% | 40% | 50% | 50% |
| Periodontal maintenance cleanings | 20% | 40% | 50% | 50% |
| Extraction (uncomplicated) | 20% | 40% | 50% | 50% |
| Oral surgery | 50% | 60% | 50% | 70% |
| Crowns | 50% | 60% | 50% | 70% |
| Root canal therapy | 50% | 60% | 50% | 70% |
| Dentures | 50% | 60% | 50% | 70% |
| Orthodontics | 50% | 60% | 50% | 70% |
| Annual maximum benefit | $1,250 | $1,000 | $1,000 | $750 |
Restrictions: There are several procedures not covered by Aetna, so it’s best to consult their full list of restrictions. For example, Aetna doesn’t cover:
- Analgesia
- Cosmetic dental work like teeth whitening or facings on pontics/molar crowns
- Crowns, onlays, inlays, or veneers, unless it’s a treatment for a traumatic injury or decay and the teeth can’t be restored using a filling material, or the tooth is abutting a partially covered denture or fixed bridge
- Dental implants
- Dentures
- False teeth
- General anesthesia and intravenous sedation
- Prescribed drugs
- Pre-treatments
However, none of the plans cover orthodontics, so if you have crooked teeth, they’ll stay that way unless you pay out-of-pocket.
Waiting Periods: If you’ve had insurance within 90 days of switching to Aetna, they’ll waive the waiting periods for coverage of basic and major procedures. Otherwise, you’ll have to wait anywhere from one to 12 months, depending on the service.
Below, you’ll find an overview of Aetna dental waiting periods based on the specific procedure:
- Resin filling (one surface): One month
- Extraction (uncomplicated): One month
- Periodontal maintenance cleanings: Six months
- Occlusal adjustment: Six months
- Oral surgery: One year
- Crowns: One year
- Root canal therapy: One year
- Dentures: One year
To learn more about this provider, read our rundown of Aetna dental insurance for seniors.
Pros
- Broad network coverage
- Easy-to-navigate benefits and provider network
- Full coverage for routine preventive care
- High coverage of basic procedures
Cons
- High out-of-network costs
- Potentially long waiting periods
Aetna’s strengths are its ease of use and the size of its network. With intuitive online portals, helpful customer service, and a pool of nearly 400,000 practitioners to draw from, Aetna is one of the best dental insurance providers around.
4. Cigna Dental - Simple Claims Process
What We Like Most:
- Six plan options to choose from
- Deductibles and copays waived for preventive care with Cigna Dental Preventive plan
- 24/7 customer service and simple claims management
- Low-premium plans available
Overview
Cigna Dental offers six different plans, with the lowest estimated premium prices for those 65 and older starting at about $23 per month for a PPO plan. There are also three plans that combine dental insurance with vision and hearing coverage. But if you just want dental, Cigna is an excellent option for those seeking basic and preventive coverage.
>>>Learn About: The Best Dental and Vision Insurance for Seniors
Cigna Dental Insurance for Seniors
| Cigna Dental plan | Cigna Dental Preventive | Cigna Dental 5000/250 | Cigna Dental 3000/100 | Cigna Dental 1000 | Cigna Dental 3000/150 | Cigna Dental 1500 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly premium | $19 | $23 | $32 | $33 | $36 | $39 |
| Deductible |
|
$250 | $100 | $50 for basic/major restorative services* | $150 | $50 |
| Coverage limit | None | $5,000 | $3,000 | $1,000 | $3,000 | $1,500 |
| Preventive coinsurance | 0% | 0% | 50% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Basic procedures coinsurance | Not covered | 25% | 50% | 20% | 25% | 20% |
| Major procedures coinsurance | Not covered | 50% | 50% | 50% | 25% | 50% |
*Includes fillings, non-routine X-rays, emergency care to relieve pain, oral surgery, simple extractions, crowns, inlays, overlays, root canal therapy, endodontics, minor and major periodontics, oral surgery except simple extractions, surgical extraction of impacted teeth, relines, rebases, adjustments, crown, bridge, and inlay repairs, denture repairs, anesthetics, dentures, bridges
Finding a Dentist: Cigna has a national pool of more than 93,000 in-network dentists to choose from, which can be easily searched on their website. Cigna also offers a “Brighter Score” tool, which rates practitioners on their affordability and patient experience rating. This data should make it easier for you to find a dentist you love, although Cigna makes it very clear that you shouldn’t use this as your only basis for your decision, and it doesn’t guarantee quality. Brighter, Inc. is an independent company that provides reviews, appointment scheduling, and other features.
Making a Claim: With Cigna, your in-network dentist can file claims for you, and online claims management and dedicated apps make it easy to track claims status.
Out-of-Network Coverage: Much to my surprise, Cigna will cover the same amount whether you visit a dentist in or out of your network, which is very different from companies like Aetna that let you save money by going with a participating provider. The coverage is exactly the same, whether you choose a participating provider or not, with the Dental 1000, Dental 1500, or Dental Preventive plans.
Restrictions: Certain restrictions exist for all plans. For example, the Dental Preventive plan doesn’t cover:
- Restoration of teeth damaged by abrasion, erosion, or attrition
- Surgical implants
- Crowns, inlays, or cast restorations unless the tooth can’t be restored with a composite resin or amalgam due to a major fracture or decay
- Prescription drugs
- Labial veneers
- Orthodontic treatment except cleft palates and cleft lips
However, these restrictions are pretty standard (similar to Aetna’s restrictions, for example).
Waiting Periods: Depending on the plan and the type of service you get, you may or may not have a waiting period. For example, with the Dental 1500 plan, there’s no waiting period for preventive services, a six-month waiting period for basic restorative services, and a 12-month waiting period for major restorative services. However, these waiting periods could be waived if you had 12 continuous months of prior coverage for these types of services. As I’ve had dental insurance consistently, I was able to avoid this waiting period for basic services.
To learn more about this provider, read our full rundown of Cigna dental insurance for seniors.
Pros
- Plans start at less than $20 per month
- Copays and deductibles waived on preventive care
- Simple, online claims process and 24/7 customer support
- Brighter Score ratings help choose practitioners
- Coverage for major procedures
- Same coverage for both in and out-of-network providers
Cons
- $1,000 and $1,500 maximums set for the 1000 and 1500 plans
- Added restrictions and differing coverage in Maryland and New York
- Six to 12-month waiting periods with some services and plans
Cigna has something to offer for someone at every level of coverage, from those looking for basic preventive care to more advanced procedures. With an easy-to-navigate suite of services, a relatively large provider network, and low costs, they are among the best options available for dental insurance.
5. Delta Dental - Best Affordable Option
What We Like Most:
- A wide range of plans including both PPO and HMO options
- Deductible-free plans available
- Monthly premiums from under $20
- Coverage offered in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico
Overview
Delta Dental is the largest dental insurance provider in the U.S. — mainly due to its partnership with AARP — with a customer base exceeding 80 million Americans, including yours truly, a proud, longtime AARP member. Because of its relationship with AARP, Delta Dental offers specific services geared toward seniors, unlike most dental insurance providers. The three plans below are only available to those 65 and older, and they cost just $17.32 to $38.42 a month, which is great for someone living on a fixed income.
Let’s break down some of Delta’s offerings in Pennsylvania, specifically, as offerings vary by state.
Delta Dental Insurance for Seniors
| Delta Dental plan | Delta Dental PPO Individual Premium plan | Delta Dental Individual and Family PPO Basic plan | DeltaCare USA PAA60 Individual and Family Dental Program |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly premium | $38.42 | $19.08 | $17.32 (but made in 1 payment of $207.88) |
| Deductible | $50 | $50 | $0 |
| Coverage limit | $2,000 | $1,000 | $0 |
| Preventive coinsurance | 0% | 0% | Office visits: $10
Exams: $0 Cleanings (2 per calendar year): $20 X-rays: $0 |
| Basic procedures coinsurance | 20% | 50% (but only covers fillings and simple tooth removals) | Fillings: $25 to $120
Tooth removal: $30 to $230 Teeth whitening: $125 Cum cleanings: $65 Gum treatments: $150 to $260 Denture repair: $40 to $75 Complete dentures: $495 |
| Major procedures coinsurance | 50% | Not covered | Root canals: $240 to $400
Implants: Not covered Crowns: $125 to $495 Orthodontics: $1,600 to $2,800 (adult) |
Finding a Dentist: Delta Dental has an easy-to-use online portal to search for dentists in your area based on the dental insurance plan you have. I could even filter results based on specialties, like treatment for adults with cognitive or physical disabilities, making Delta Dental a great choice for older adults with disabilities.
Making a Claim: The claims process for in-network care is handled by the practitioner, while out-of-network claims may need to be filed separately. But the filing part was so easy that I didn’t mind going to the same dentist that I’d had on a different plan, who was no longer in-network. I just can’t leave Dr. Schlesinger!
Out-of-Network Coverage: Delta Dental’s PPO Premium plan covers non-Delta providers and the same percentages as Delta Dental Premier plans. DeltaCare USA is an HMO-style plan predicated on a customer receiving care from a dedicated primary care dentist, with no flexibility for out-of-network care. In other words, you’re only covered if you go to what Delta calls a Contract Dentist. The company won’t pay for any services from out-of-network dentists.
Restrictions: Restrictions for Delta Dental are mostly limited to waiting periods, after which specific procedures are available. Additionally, their Basic PPO offers no coverage for major procedures. DeltaCare USA works primarily off itemized copays for specific procedures, which offer fixed costs on everything from cleanings to orthodontics.
Waiting Periods: Delta Dental requires no waiting periods for preventive care on any of its plans. With a DeltaCare plan as opposed to a PPO plan, there are no waiting periods at all.
Pros
- Preventive plan for under $20 per month
- Both PPO and HMO options available in all 50 states
- Plans geared specifically toward seniors
- Widely-accepted, nationally popular plan
Cons
- Basic plan doesn’t cover major procedures
- Must pay for DeltaCare plan in one annual payment
- Mandatory waiting periods with some services and plans
6. UnitedHealthcare Dental - No Waiting Periods
What We Like Most:
- No waiting periods on many services
- Hearing aid benefit included
- Optional vision rider
- High annual maximums
Overview
UnitedHealthcare dental insurance for seniors comes in the form of four different plans. Each plan comes with no waiting periods in most states, hearing aid and exam benefits, and comprehensive coverage of preventive care. Currently, this provider can cover you in 47 states and Washington, D.C.
Pro Tip: If you’re looking for hearing aids, be sure to check out our guide to hearing aids, in addition to our rundown of the year’s best hearing aids.
UnitedHealthcare Dental Insurance for Seniors
| UnitedHealthcare dental plans | Gen Saver | Gen Basic | Gen Plus | Gen Deluxe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly premium | $45.17 | $56.76 | $64 | $66.49 |
| Deductible | $100 | $100 | $100 | $50 |
| Coverage limit | $1,000 | $1,500 | $100 | $2,000 |
| Preventive coinsurance | Year 1: 40%
Year 2: 30% Year 3: 20% |
100% | Year 1: 40%
Year 2: 30% Year 3: 20% |
Year 1: 50%
Year 2: 35% Year 3: 20% |
| Basic procedures coinsurance | Year 1: 50%
Year 2: 35% Year 3: 20% |
Year 1: 50%
Year 2: 35% Year 3: 20% |
Year 1: 50%
Year 2: 35% Year 3: 20% |
Year 1: 50%
Year 2: 35% Year 3: 20% |
| Major procedures coinsurance | Year 1: 90%
Year 2: 60% Year 3: 50% |
Year 1: 90%
Year 2: 60% Year 3: 50% |
Year 1: 10%
Year 2: 60% Year 3: 50% |
Year 1: 90%
Year 2: 60% Year 3: 50% |
Finding a Dentist: To find an in-network dentist with UnitedHealthcare, I used their online “Find a Doctor” tool. After entering my ZIP code and choosing my network, I could search by location, practice name, or dentist name. I could also search by specialty (the options were endodontist, general dentist, oral surgeon, orthodontist, pediatric dentist, which clearly doesn’t apply here, periodontist, or prosthodontist); provider features, like handicap-accessible offices, accepting new patients, and weekend hours; language spoken; and gender. Sounds great, right?
But confusingly, the website wouldn’t let me search unless I knew the dentist name, practice name, or location, even though I was trying to find a new dentist and didn’t know that information. Unfortunately, to get help, I had to call the number listed, which led to long wait times.
Making a Claim: Most of the time, in-network providers will submit the claims for you, which is definitely the easiest course of action for a customer. All I had to do to view my current claims was log onto the myUHC website, click on Manage My Claims, choose the appropriate date range, and hit search. To make a claim with UnitedHealthcare in the event that a provider didn’t do it for me (perhaps they were out-of-network), I could either file it through mail or through their online claims manager. I prefer online, but I understand that many seniors prefer mail.
Out-of-Network Coverage: UnitedHealthcare’s dental plans are PPOs, which means you’ll be able to use any dental provider. However, you’ll save the most money by using an in-network dentist. For example, with the Gen Saver plan, I could save $47 on a routine cleaning, $124 on a simple filling, and $686 on a molar root canal, to name a few examples. See more below!
| Plan | Retail charges | Gen Saver | Gen Saver | Gen Saver | Gen Plus | Gen Plus | Gen Plus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| What you’ll pay in policy year 1, in a ZIP code starting with 752 (assuming deductible has been met) | Not applicable | In-network | Out-of-network | Amount saved with in-network | In-network | Out-of-network | Amount saved with in-network |
| Routine cleaning | $95 | $19 | $67 | $47 | $19 | $38 | $19 |
| Simple filling | $181 | $29 | $153 | $124 | $29 | $91 | $62 |
| Molar root canal | $1,255 | $512 | $1,198 | $686 | $512 | $1,130 | $618 |
Restrictions: While you won’t need to wait for most services, coverage will increase over time. For example, with their Deluxe Dental plan, basic procedures will be 50 percent covered from day one; however, this increases to 65 and 80 percent after years one and two of your policy. Again, like most dental insurance providers, it pays to be loyal.
>>>Learn About: UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage Plans
Waiting Periods: One of the best aspects of UnitedHealthcare dental is their immediate coverage. All of their plans have no waiting periods, no matter if you need preventive care, basic procedures, or major procedures. The only exception is for residents of Connecticut and Illinois; in these states, you’ll wait a six-month period for major services, which will be 50 percent covered.
Pros
- No waiting periods except for major procedures in Illinois and Connecticut
- High annual maximums
- Vision rider availability
- Partial hearing aid coverage included in plans
Cons
- Higher premiums overall
- Only the Basic plan covers 100 percent of preventive services
- Hard to find a new dentist online
Dental Coverage for People on Medicare
The vast majority of seniors will enroll in Medicare upon turning 65; however, Original Medicare offers no coverage for either routine dental care or procedures like crowns, fillings, extractions, or root canals.
Because of this, seniors have two main ways of getting dental coverage: a stand-alone dental insurance policy or a Medicare Advantage Plan with dental benefits. In the one-minute video below, our Managing Editor, Ryan Molloy, outlines the pros and cons of each approach.
What Are Dental Discount Cards?
Another facet of dental insurance for seniors is what’s known as dental discount cards or savings plans. These cards are supplemental to dental insurance and not a replacement; instead, a cardholder will pay an annual fee instead of a monthly premium. A discount plan holder will receive special discounts and reduced prices on select procedures outlined in the plan.
While dental discount plans aren’t technically insurance, they can be a cheaper option for those who can’t afford insurance and instead pay for all dental work out of pocket. Like insurance, discount plans give customers a limited list of providers to choose from. Practitioners who participate in the dental discount plan have agreed to the reduced pricing structure associated with the card. These discount plans aren’t insurance, and payment for dental procedures is given directly to the dentists.
Bottom Line
The six dental insurance providers we’ve highlighted are just a sampling of what’s available. Regardless of which one you choose, it’s important to remember that good dental health can save you from a host of more serious health risks. The dental insurance market can be difficult to navigate, but hopefully, with a little research, you’ll be showing your loved ones your pearly whites long into your golden years.
Senior Dental Insurance – Frequently Asked Questions
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Does AARP have a dental insurance program?
While AARP doesn’t issue or administer dental insurance themselves, they have a partnership with Delta Dental that offers multiple plans at discounted rates for AARP members. Here are the options when I looked up quotes for someone living in Philadelphia:
- Delta Dental PPO Plan A: Highest level of care for $63.93 a month
- Delta Dental PPO Plan B: Routine care for $44.84 a month
- DeltaCare USA Plan 15B: Fixed out of pocket costs for covered procedures for $25.60 a month
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Is dental insurance for seniors worth it?
Since Original Medicare doesn’t cover dental, it’s essential for seniors to enroll in some form of dental insurance. Alternatively, they might consider a Medicare Advantage plan that includes dental benefits.
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Is it cheaper to pay out of pocket for dental?
Like most insurance, dental insurance is worth it if you use it. For younger people with healthy teeth, it may be more cost-effective to pay for dental care out-of-pocket because treatments are typically inexpensive and infrequent. However, seniors and those requiring more expansive dental care may require procedures that can be quite expensive when not covered by insurance.
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Should seniors buy dental insurance?
Since aging adults are more likely to need dentures, crowns, and root canals, we strongly suggest they consider dental insurance, as Medicare offers next to nothing in terms of dental care.
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At what age do you get free dental treatment?
There’s no nationwide program for free dental treatment at any age. However, some local organizations (such as dental schools) offer free or discounted services to community members.
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Is dental care free after 60?
Medicare doesn’t cover most dental procedures or routine care. Regardless of age, you generally won’t receive free dental care.
