Dental plans and savings memberships
Explore plan options and ways to save on common dental services
Dental insurance plans
Choose from plans that include basic coverage to major dental care, such as dental implants.
Dental savings memberships
Discover memberships that are alternative to insurance so you can access savings on common services from participating providers1
What do dental plans cover?
Dental coverage can include a range of benefits to cover the dental care needs that matter most to you. Explore the following to learn about typical care that may be covered by a dental plan.
| Preventive care | Preventive care is often covered with no deductible or waiting period. This most often includes:
|
|---|---|
| Basic services2 | This often includes simple fillings or emergency treatment for dental pain, subject to deductible and coinsurance. |
| Major services2 | This can include retainers and root canals. These are often subject to the plan’s deductible, coinsurance and waiting periods. |
| Access to a wide dental network | Choose from a variety of dental providers. This often includes dental offices in both private and retail settings. |
| Direct payment to in-network dentists | Easy-to-manage payments. No need to submit claim forms. |
| No age limits | There are coverage options available for every member of your family and every stage of life.3 If you are on Medicare (which doesn’t include dental benefits) we have plans designed specifically for seniors. |
See how dental plans and savings memberships can help you manage costs and stay healthier
Did you know that dental plans can help with managing dental care costs? Additionally, dental savings memberships are an alternative to insurance that helps you save on the cost of qualified services from participating service providers. Here are some reasons why having dental benefits can make a big difference.
Better oral health
If you have dental coverage, you’re more likely to get routine dental care
Cost savings
If you wait until there’s a problem, dental care often gets more expensive and involved
Supports overall health
If you don’t get preventive dental care, major health problems, like heart disease and diabetes, appear more often4
Frequently asked questions
Read on to learn more details about dental plans and how they work.
Dental insurance is a type of health care coverage that helps you manage the costs of dental care. Like health insurance, it helps make dental services more affordable through monthly premiums in exchange for coverage of qualified dental procedures and treatments. Whether you’re looking for basic and preventive care or more coverage for things like major dental work, there are different plans to meet a variety of needs and budgets.
When you have dental insurance, you pay a monthly premium for coverage. Your insurance will help cover the cost of qualified dental services when you visit the dentist. Most dental procedures fall into three categories: preventive care (like cleanings and checkups), basic services (like fillings), and major services (like crowns). Your insurance typically covers different percentages of these services after you meet your deductible. Some services may have waiting periods before coverage begins and plans usually have an annual maximum benefit amount.
The cost of dental insurance depends on a variety of things. It comes down to the plan you choose and the level of coverage it offers. With some plans, you may pay more up front and less when you get services. With other plans, the opposite may be true. Here are 4 factors that can help you understand the costs:
- Premium: The amount you pay every month to have coverage.
- Deductible: This is the out-of-pocket amount you pay for services covered by your plan before your insurance company pays.
- Coinsurance: The percentage of covered expenses you pay after you meet your deductible. For example, you could have 30% coinsurance for a filling. If the network cost of the filling is $100, you would pay $30 of that. Your insurance would pay the rest, up to your annual maximum.
- Copay: Under some dental plans, you might pay a fixed cost for certain services, like X-rays.
There are three main types of dental insurance plans to choose from:
Dental PPO (Preferred Provider Organization)
- Moderate premiums
- Access to both network and out-of-network dentists
- Coinsurance payments for services
- Annual benefit maximum
- Network discounts help reduce costs
Dental HMO (Health Maintenance Organization)
- Lower premiums
- Fixed copays for services
- Must use network dentists
- No annual maximum
- Restricted provider network
Dental Indemnity
- Higher premiums
- Freedom to choose any dentist
- Coinsurance payments for services
- Annual benefit maximum
- No network discounts
Note: UnitedHealthcare branded dental insurance plans from Golden Rule Insurance Company are Dental PPO plans.
It depends. There is typically no waiting period for preventive services once you become covered. This means as soon as your dental insurance starts, you’ll be able to use the preventive care benefits. Some plans have no waiting period for all types of care. Other plans may have a waiting period of 4 to 12 months for basic and major services.
Dental savings memberships are different from dental insurance. These are memberships that you can use in lieu of insurance so you can still enjoy savings on common services from participating providers. They provide access to dental discounts, and you can often choose to pay monthly or annually. There's generally no enrollment or waiting period.
Why choose UnitedHealthcare?
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