Tuesday, June 11th
2024 Dental Insurance Plan Reviews
Dental Insurance
- Plans start at $6.95/month
- "A+" rating and accredited by the BBB
- Offers traditional insurance and discount plans
- Easy-to-use website
- Licensed insurance agents available to help
- Vision plans also available
Dental Insurance is one of the best available databases to search for insurance, both for traditional insurance and discount plans. Dental Insurance is operated by Kelsey National Corporation, which has been in business for over 50 years. Dental Insurance also offers access to licensed insurance agents if you need help getting a quote, finding the right plan, or enrolling in a plan.
Affordable pricing
Pricing with Dental Insurance ranges from $7.95 per month for individual plans to $21.55 per month for family plans. However, your monthly costs may vary depending on the coverage you select and your individual or family needs.
Coverage types are abundant
Dental Insurance has options for individuals and families. To find the best option for you through the Dental Insurance database, you can use the filters to narrow down exactly what you want. You'll find a variety of coverage types including:
- Dental HMO
- Dental Prepaid
- Discount Card
- Indemnity
- Monthly Cost
Well-known insurance providers
Some of the familiar dental providers that are listed on the Dental Insurance website include:
- AmeriPlan
- Ameritas
- Argus
- Delta Dental
- Guardian
- HumanaOne
- Nationwide
- Renaissance
- Solstice
Premiums vary based on your situation
Some factors that can affect your final price are your age, the kind of network you're looking for, and whether you want coverage for basic dentistry or more complex procedures. However, there are options on the Dental Insurance site that work with everyone's needs.
Make sure your preferred dentist accepts the plan you choose
The only thing that isn't provided for search parameters is your dentist. So, if you're attached to your current dentist, verify with them that they will take the insurance plan you're considering before you make a final choice.
Compare dental insurance plans
One of the ways Dental Insurance really stands out is in the details. The site is easy to navigate, and the basic information for each plan is clearly presented in an at-a-glance format. The listings for plans show customers basic prices, maximum coverage, and what kind of plan is displayed. The listings also clearly lay out the deadlines for coverage. Certain plans, like Humana, have requirements to apply by the 25th of the month in order to be covered by the 1st day of the following month. Some plans are effective within 48 hours. And, if you like the details of a few different options, there's a checkbox at the left corner that allows you to compare different options side-by-side and make the most informed choice.
Stellar reviews
If you think Dental Insurance sounds good, there are lots of reviewers who agree with you. Along with having an "A+" rating and accreditation from the BBB, Dental Insurance is rated 4.7 on average across many other sites. Customers who rated Dental Insurance with 5 stars noted that the customer service was top tier. They specifically liked being able to talk over the plans with the licensed insurance agents available at Dental Insurance. One reviewer noted that they wanted to get insurance that covered her current doctors and with help from Dental Insurance's customer service, she was able to set up a plan that included her favorite providers.
Some grumblings about individual insurance providers
The lower-rated reviews mostly referred to the individual plans and problems with insurance companies, not Dental Insurance itself. The unhappy customers ended up dropping those particular insurance carriers.
#1 choice for dental insurance
With its broker/database-style website, Dental Insurance is able to provide customers with a comprehensive look at many different insurance options. There are plans for everyone, whether you want traditional insurance or just a discount card. They are highly rated with happy customers and accredited by the BBB. Added bonus: on top of the dental plans, you can also find vision plans with Dental Insurance. With all these factors in mind, Dental Insurance is our top pick for dental insurance.
1 Dental
- Dental discount plan, not traditional insurance
- Prices start a $119 per year
- 3 different plans offered
- "A+" rating and accreditation by the BBB
- Easy to search for and find a local dentist
1 Dental is an online discount dental plan that has been in business for 26 years. 1 Dental promises that their plans are cheaper than traditional insurance and you're able to use the plans as much as you need.
Cost savings
With the plans offered at 1 Dental you can save anywhere from 15%-60% off the cost of dental care. 1 Dental only offers yearly packages through three different providers. The premiums start at $119 per year and go up to $169 per year.
3 providers to choose from
1 Dental offers discount plans that are supported by three particular groups: Aetna Dental Access, 500 Series Careington, and the Preferred Plan which is only available through 1 Dental.
- The Aetna Plan is $119/year and offers 15-50% off general and specialist care, and discounts with pharmacies, vision, and LASIK correction.
- The 500 Series Careington Plan is also $119 annually and offers 20-60% general dental, 20% off specialists, and discounts with pharmacies, vision, and LASIK correction.
- The Preferred Plan costs $169 per year and provides 15-60% for general dental, 15-50% for specialists, and discounts for all of the other listed options.
Benefits included
The three providers also list benefits that include:
- General Dentist Savings
- Specialist Savings
- Pharmacy Discounts
- Vision Care
- LASIK Vision Correction
- Combined Network of Dentists
- Maximum Savings at General and Specialists
Easy to find a network dentist near you
One of the best features of 1 Dental is the local dentists search tool. For the zip code we tested in the metro area of a mid-sized city, 1 Dental was accepted by 1,600+ different dentists. If you're looking for a specific practice or dentist, you can search for them by name. But if you're flexible on location, 1 Dental provides discounts with a variety of local dentists, so you can use your discount plan to find one that works for you.
Thousands of positive reviews
Across client reviews, 1 Dental is rated 4.6/5 stars on average. They have more than 1,500 individual 5-star reviews, and the Better Business Bureau has given 1 Dental an "A+" rating and accreditation. Although the ratings are a little lower in general on the BBB, in other places more than 90% of the reviews are at 5 stars.
Worth the price
For happy customers of 1 Dental, the general consensus is that the savings are worth the price. Many reviewers noted that their 1 Dental plan was accepted at every dentist they used and that the annual cost was lower than comparable traditional insurance options. Other reviewers noted that they appreciated the customer service at 1 Dental.
Some issues when canceling
The 1-star reviews focused mostly on trying to cancel 1 Dental. The reviewers who were unhappy noted that it was difficult to get out of the plan once they'd started paying, and sometimes the renewal was charged before the cancellations were processed.
Best dental discount plan
This is the best discount dental option on our list. As long as you're okay with not having traditional coverage, 1 Dental is a fantastic choice: the cost is low, and their different options all provide at least 15% off of dental. You can also find deals that are even better depending on where you go and which plan you select. With stellar reviews and accreditation by the BBB, 1 Dental stands out as the top discount option on our list, placing second overall.
Dental Plans
- Plans start at $79.95 per year
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Price match
- Up to 30 different provider plans
- Add-on coverage for prescriptions, vision, hearing, chiropractic, and telemedicine available
Dental Plans is an online marketplace for discount dental coverage. In business since 1999, Dental Plans offers a range of options for saving money on a range of services including preventative appointments and orthodontics, as well as vision and prescriptions.
Affordable pricing
You can sign up for discounts with Dental Plans that start at only $79.95 per year. If you're only looking for monthly plans you can contact Dental Plans to discuss "alternative payment options." However, according to their customer service team, monthly plans are typically priced 30% higher than annual plans.
Large database of providers
Dental Plans provides coverage through different providers that depend on your location. The site offers options for individual and family plans, and you can limit your search to insurance providers who offer coverage for specific dental procedures if you need particular work done. Some of the dental discount providers offered at Dental Plans include:
- IDental
- Aetna Dental
- Cigna Dental
- Solstice
- Humana Dental
- Careington
- Patriot
- Unicare
- Renaissance Dental
- Alliance HealthCard
- CVS iSave
- DP CompleteCare
- Delta Dental
Good search features
You can also limit your searches by the most important criteria for you. You are able to search for insurance plans by:
- Dentist
- Location
- Savings
- Procedures you need done
- Business options
Price match and money-back guarantee
Despite being a database, not its own insurance provider, Dental Plans has some standout features. While Dental Plans does offer insurance from providers that appear on other websites, they offer something that their competition doesn't: a price-match guarantee to ensure you're not overpaying on insurance when purchasing coverage through their database. On top of this, they offer a 30-day money-back guarantee if you're not happy with the dental insurance you select.
Change at any time
Another benefit of Dental Plans over a traditional insurance plan is that you can change your coverage at any time rather than being locked into an annual contract. You can contact the Dental Plans customer service team and they promise to help match you with a new plan that fits your needs whether that change came because of marriage, children, or some other extenuating factor.
More than just dental
If you need other kinds of insurance, you can add on to your plan with Dental Plans. Some of these add-ons include:
- Vision
- Prescriptions
- Telemedicine
Satisfied customers saving money
Customers are very happy with the service at Dental Plans, averaging 4.5/5 stars from reviewers. Happy customers agree that using Dental Plans has helped them save money every time they've gone to the dentist. Many of the 5-star reviews are from customers who have been using Dental Plans' service for years and note that there are benefits when you renew your membership, as you are offered better discounts the longer you're with the service.
Few customer issues
Customers who gave Dental Plans lower ratings noted that "in-network" dentists sometimes didn't honor the prices that were offered through the Dental Plans coverage. Others, who didn't use many of the benefits, didn't feel that the premiums were worth it.
Good money-saving option
Dental Plans is a great database to find insurance plans that are tailored to your specific needs, especially if you're looking for particular dentists. They also provide a variety of coverages outside of dental, such as vision and telemedicine, making them a good one-stop shop for general health plans. The majority of reviews are positive, and their money-back guarantee is impressive. Overall, when it comes to dental insurance, Dental Plans is a great way to save you money
eHealth
- Traditional dental insurance plans
- Plans start at $8/month
- Offers customer service from licensed agents
- One-stop shop for multiple insurance types
- "A+" rating and accredited by the BBB
Known for being the first to sell internet-based insurance policies, eHealth is a popular insurance broker site. eHealth was founded in 1997 to help individuals and families find affordable insurance coverage as easily as possible.
Traditional insurance plans
Operating as a one-stop shop, eHealth offers a wide variety of insurance options, not just dental. All of the eHealth dental plans are traditional insurance - there are no dental discount programs or memberships on this site. Plans start at $8.95 per month but vary by location, so your area may have a higher starting premium than others.
Good variety of insurance coverages
eHealth offers a wide variety of coverage types across different kinds of insurance. If you need dental as well as other types of insurance, this is a great site to see and compare all your options. The types of insurance offered at eHealth include:
- Individual and Family Health insurance
- Short-term Health insurance
- Dental insurance
- Vision insurance
- GAP insurance
- Medical Indemnity insurance
- Telemedicine
Easy to find plans from recognized dental insurers
Once you've put in your zip code and some basic personal information, you will get access to a list of insurance providers and plans that fit your needs. If you want to narrow down the options, you can limit the results by company, target monthly cost, target deductible, plan types, features, or annual maximum benefits. Some of the insurance providers you can expect to see with eHealth are:
- Humana
- UnitedHealthcare
- Nationwide
- Ameritas
- Delta Dental
- The IHC Group
- Renaissance Dental
Easy and intuitive site
Using the eHealth site feels easy and intuitive. You can access the different types of insurance once you've put in your zip code, and you can easily see types of insurance, prices, companies, and maximum benefits right on the listing. On top of that, if you like multiple options and want to compare the benefits, you can use the site's compare feature to look at your insurance options side by side. eHealth offers a phone number to call for customer service from a licensed agent and a live chat option if you have any questions about your insurance.
Jump through a few extra hoops to find your dentist
One of the best features is that on each listing for an insurance plan, you can click "find dentists" to check the database of the insurance provider and see if your local dentist is covered by the insurance plan. It would be nice if this feature were included directly on the eHealth site, but they make it easy to navigate to the insurance provider's page to double-check for your dentist.
Happy customers with eHealth
eHealth has a good reputation. They have an "A+" rating and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau. The company is rated 4.4 stars on average across almost 3,000 total reviews. Happy customers noted that eHealth had wonderful customer service and many reviewers expressed their appreciation for the licensed agents who helped them through the process. Other 5-star reviews noted that the website was user-friendly and that they felt confident about looking at the different options on eHealth's site.
Some complaints about approval times
Unhappy customers often felt discouraged because the process of getting their applications approved took a long time. One user noted that they were told their primary care doctor would be covered by insurance and found out after paying that the doctor was not in-network.
Great option for traditional insurance
One of the top contenders for the best place to find insurance, eHealth is a great option if you want a one-stop shop. However, with the information about dentists and doctors attached to the insurance provider's sites and not on the eHealth website, it does take a little extra effort to make sure the medical professional you want will be part of your network. Some of the unhappy customers were frustrated by this process when their doctor didn't end up in-network. Other than that, eHealth is on par with our top choices for dental insurance - minus the extra work and slightly lower average rating.
Avia Dental
- Plans start at $9.25 per month or $99 per year
- $20 processing fee to register
- Prescription and vision discounts included
- Acceptance guaranteed
- More than 40,000 dental providers
Avia Dental Plan is a discount service that works in place of traditional insurance. In business since 1994, Avia has plans that work for individuals, families, groups, and seniors.
Saving money
The company prioritizes your ability to save money on dental care. Starting at $9.25 per month for an individual plan and $15 per month for a family plan, you can get discounted dental care immediately. Avia promises that everyone qualifies for their plans, so you don't have to worry about being denied coverage. All plans include a one-time $20 processing fee. When you have a membership with Avia you can expect to pay around $15 for a standard dental exam and $35 for a standard adult cleaning.
Great discounts across different dentists
In terms of general options, Avia offers coverage for individuals, families, groups, and seniors. You can choose among 40,000 different dentists and the plans promise to provide 50% or more in discounts on regular preventative visits. You can limit your searches for coverage on Avia to location, dentist, and type of medical professional you want to see, to see which ones are covered by Avia's plans.
Complicated procedures are covered
While the individual and family plans are priced at $9.25 and $15 per month respectively, you need to call Avia's customer service to get further information on the pricing for seniors and groups. And, if you're looking for more complicated procedures than just a check-up or cleaning, Avia covers those as well. If you need something like a root canal can go from an average cost of $1,100 out of pocket to just $490 with Avia.
Not available for almost half of the US
One of the standout features at Avia is that they offer discounted vision and prescriptions along with most of their dental plans. So, if you're looking for a place to cover all your bases, Avia offers a three-in-one package deal. And with more than 40,000 dental providers who accept Avia dental plans and coverage in 30+ US states, the Avia network is growing. But, if you're in a state where Avia hasn't made it yet, you're out of luck. The states that aren't covered yet include:
- Alaska
- Connecticut
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Montana
- Nebraska
- North Dakota
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Washington
- Wyoming
Happy customers...
According to reviewers, Avia is a very successful money-saving option. Avia averages 4.7/5 stars across reviews. Happy customers noted that the coverage helped them save money for their own dental checkups and for their children's. Many customers also noted that Avia offered additional discounts that made the coverage even more affordable.
...until they try to leave
Reviewers who weren't as impressed with Avia noted that it was difficult for them to get a hold of customer service. Also, many found it difficult to cancel their service when they no longer wanted to be part of Avia.
Good discount service, but only for some states
While Avia is a great money-saving option, the availability is a little bit of a problem. There are some major metropolitan areas that just aren't serviced by their plans yet. While Avia is a great option for people in the states where the service is offered, Avia just isn't viable for enough customers to make it to the top of the review. But if you live in a state that's supported by Avia, the low costs, guaranteed acceptance, vision packages, and prescription packages are worth checking out. Just be certain that your preferred dentist accepts their plans before signing up, as some customers found it difficult to get out of Avia when they decided they didn't need it anymore.
Spirit Dental
- Plans start at $24.67 per month
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Guaranteed acceptance
- 3 cleanings and 2 exams per year included with every plan
- $100 lifetime deductible
Spirit Dental is a full coverage dental insurance plan that's owned by the parent company Ameritas Group Dental. Although not the cheapest option in our review, this company offers traditional insurance coverage.
A lot included in their dental plans
Spirit Dental promises 100% coverage for three cleanings and two dental exams per year. Spirit also commits to providing guaranteed acceptance, a $100 lifetime deductible, and children's orthodontics included in every plan. Pricing for Spirit Dental is based on your location, so it will change depending on your zip code, but prices start as low as $24.67 per month. This does not include the $25 enrollment fee that you have to pay on each plan.
Competitive options with other providers
There are lots of options and a wide range of prices with Spirit Dental; however, these prices start much higher than competitors. To figure out what you want, you can narrow down your options to include specialty coverage, how much you want to pay for your monthly premium, and the annual maximum for benefits. Plus, if you're looking for other kinds of insurance, Spirit Dental also offers vision.
Dental coverages offered
In terms of the different types of coverage, Spirit Dental offers:
- Individual Dental Insurance
- Family Dental Insurance
- Children's Dental Insurance
- Children's Orthodontics
- Senior Dental Insurance
- Low-cost Dental Insurance
Search for your dentist
You can also search for your particular dentist on Spirit Dental and get a cost estimation for particular dental providers. However, not all dentists are covered, so this might not be the ideal option for your insurance if you're attached to a certain dentist.
High prices, but you can get your money back
Unfortunately, insurance through Spirit isn't cheap. The price depends on your location, and the cheapest one we saw on the site started at $24.67. However, all Spirit dental and vision plans for individuals come with a 30-day customer satisfaction guarantee and you have 30 days after the effective date of your plan to cancel. Spirit promises that your premiums will be fully refunded if you haven't used any covered services with them. The refund promise does not include the enrollment fee of $25.
Spirit isn't popular with customers
The Ameritas Dental Group unfortunately isn't highly reviewed. Despite being in business for 16 years, it just doesn't have a presence with customers. It has an "F" rating at the BBB and isn't accredited. For this reason, we're a little wary of the site for something that promises to be traditional insurance.
You can find better and safer options
While Spirit Dental sounds like a good option, it is neither the most affordable nor the most popular dental insurance provider. With very few reviews available for the site or its parent company, Ameritas Dental Group, we're a little worried about the overall quality of Spirit Dental. There are other options on our list that have more trustworthy reviews and lower premiums across the board. With the money-back guarantee it might be worth trying Spirit Dental for 30 days, but it might be more hassle than it's worth to get out of the plan if you change your mind.
Dental Save
- Plans from $9.99 per month or $99 per year
- $20 activation fee on monthly plans
- Prescription, Vision, and Hearing Discounts included
- 50,000 dental locations through Dental Save and Careington networks
- Discounts are effective from day one of membership
Dental Save is a discount dental plan that "works like a wholesale price club for dental care". The company offers its members access to discounts of up to 50% on all dental procedures within the Dental Save network. Since this isn't an insurance plan, you don't have to wait to join. The membership with Dental Save is effective as soon as you join.
3 dental plans offered
There are three plans with different prices on Dental Save: Individual, Dual, and Family. Each plan charges a $20 activation fee if you decide to pay monthly. However, you can also get access to prescription, vision, and hearing discounts through Dental Save.
- Individual: $99/year or $9.99/month
- Dual: $165/year or $14.95/month
- Family: $199/year or $17.95/month
Complicated to find your fees
In order to figure out just how much you'll save, you will have to use the location search feature to see which of your local dentists are in the network. Some of the options for types of oral care you can receive at a discounted price include:
- General Dentistry
- Orthodontics
- Oral Surgery
- Endodontics
- Periodontics
- Pediatric Dentistry
- Prosthodontics
- Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology
- Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology
- Orofacial Pain (TMJ)
Where are the prices?
However, the prices for individual dentists aren't readily available from Dental Save, which is disappointing. Instead, you have to look for what network the individual dentist operates from. Many of the options use the Careington POS or the DentalSave DS networks. The only other piece of information is what kind of fee schedule the dentists use through that network. In order to see the details of the fee schedule you have to go to the Careington site and pull up a PDF of prices. For example, through Careington's fee schedule and Dental Save's membership, a preventative visit like cleaning (for an adult) would cost $55 instead of the average of $125 for cleaning without Dental Save.
Website needs a little TLC
While savings are available with Dental Save, the website is a little clunky, especially with the search feature for finding local dentists. And, there are typos scattered across the website that make it hard to read like "Hows it works" on one of their header buttons. So, if you're looking for a high-quality company with a professional-looking website, Dental Save isn't for you.
Reviewers aren't talking about Dental Save
Dental Save isn't a favorite with reviewers either. The company has been in business for nearly 40 years and while it used to be accredited by the BBB, it isn't any longer, and the rating has dropped from an "A+" to a "B-" . Across reviews left in other places, Dental Save has an average rating of one star, although there aren't many reviews to consider overall. One customer noted that they had their contract terminated by Dental Save for no reason. Another pointed out that it was difficult to get out of the plan when they wanted to leave for a different kind of insurance.
Not worth the savings
With almost no reviews and a hard-to-use website full of typos, Dental Save isn't the most trustworthy option in our evaluation. With other insurance and discount memberships available with tons of reviews (and positive ones at that), we don't think it's worth the hassle. While the savings may be real, it's hard to find what you'll actually be paying without traveling to different websites. Dental Save is hard to use, and not worth the membership fee for all the trouble.
