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Quick Look: The Best Dental Insurance in Colorado
- Smart Health Dental: Best Overall in CO
- DentalPlans.com: Best for Dental Savings Plans
- Delta Dental: Best for Business Owners
- Careington: Best for Immediate Coverage
- Cigna: Best for In-Network Coverage
Ready to buy dental insurance in the Centennial State? Most health insurance plans don’t include coverage for dental cleanings or procedures. You’ll need to buy a separate dental insurance plan (with its own deductible and list of inclusions and maximums) if you want coverage for preventative care, oral health services and a number of quality dental extras.
But it’s never been easier to find affordable dental insurance plans online. We’ve outlined some of our favorite dental coverage choices in Colorado.
Types of Dental Coverage
Before you start comparing dental insurance plans, you need to understand the types of plans that most insurance companies offer. The type of plan you choose will usually come down to whether or not you already have a dentist you want to continue using. Dental benefits plans and dental discount plans are all different. You must review coverage carefully to understand what you’ll pay and how much is truly covered.
The most common type of dental insurance plan is the preferred provider organization (PPO) for short. A PPO plan lets you see any dentist you want and take advantage of your plan discounts. Some insurance companies that offer PPO plans also have a series of in-network dental offices you can see and you can usually save on your premium. PPO plans are the most expensive type of dental insurance — but they may be worth the cost if you want to keep seeing a particular dentist.
Another type is the dental health maintenance organization (DHMO) plan. DHMO plans require you to work with an in-network dentist. The exact dentists within your network will vary depending on where you live and which insurance company you have a plan with. If you go outside of your network, you’ll need to cover 100% of your dental care bill. DHMOs represent some of the most affordable dental insurance plans you can buy, but you have limited choice for dentists.
What Does Dental Insurance Cover?
Understanding what your dental insurance plan does and doesn’t cover can be a little confusing. Dental insurance plans don’t have required benefits that they need to provide, unlike health insurance plans. This means that what’s covered on 1 plan might not be covered on another plan. Be sure you read your entire benefits schedule before you enroll with an insurance company.
The level of coverage for your dental plan generally falls into 3 treatment categories:
- Routine diagnostics and care, which includes things like cleanings and dental check-ups.
- Basic treatments, which include common corrective treatments, like cavity fillings and tooth extractions.
- Major treatments, which include less common (and more expensive) treatments like bridges and dentures.
The portion of your treatment cost that your insurance will cover varies by plan. You’ll usually see your benefits listed as a series of three numbers: 100-70-50. These numbers represent the percentages of your bills that your insurance will cover.
For example, if you have a 100-70-50 plan, it means that your insurance will cover 100% of your bill when you need routine care, 70% when you need a basic service and 50% when you need a major procedure. As a general rule, plans with more expensive monthly premiums usually cover a larger percentage of your bill.
What Does Dental Insurance not Cover?
Knowing what’s excluded from your plan coverage is just as important as knowing what’s covered. Take a look at your plan’s list of exclusions to know exactly which services you’ll need to cover out of pocket.
Some common exclusions you might see include:
- Cosmetic treatments. Don’t sign onto a dental insurance plan if you have the idea that you’d like to save on teeth whitening or veneers! Your insurance won’t cover procedures that aren’t medically necessary.
- Preexisting conditions. Your insurance company might cut your plan’s coverage if you have a dental condition when you sign onto your plan.
- Select treatments and services. Dental insurance companies can decide which treatments they want to cover and which they don’t. Some insurance companies pick and choose services to cover and exclude. For example, many dental insurance plans don’t include coverage for sealants or orthodontics, even if your dentist says that you need them.
Average Cost of Dental Insurance in Colorado
You’ll pay about the same amount as residents of other states when you buy dental insurance in Colorado. Budget about $30 to $45 a month for your premium for an individual plan. Remember, your oral health can change at any time. Plus, you might pay less if your dental plan is tied to a vision plan or medical plan. It all depends on how you get your insurance and who the carrier is.
What to Look for in a Dental Insurance Provider
How do you choose a plan when so many choices abound? Consider these important characteristics:
- Network inclusions. A great dentist can be hard to find. Do you have a dentist you want to consider seeing? Make sure that your dentist’s office accepts your insurance. Aren’t sure which insurance plans your dentist accepts? Call your insurance company’s office. Many dentist offices have a preferred insurance provider they work closely with — and you might even be able to get a discount.
- A deductible you can afford. You must 1st meet your deductible before you can use your insurance. Almost every dental insurance plan has a deductible — and a high deductible reduces the value of your insurance. Look for an insurance plan with a low deductible — or better yet, no deductible at all.
- Plenty of covered procedures. Dental insurance companies can limit or deny coverage for anything they choose. Be sure to read your plan’s terms before you choose a coverage provider and make sure that your plan covers the most common dental issues.
Best Dental Insurance Providers in Colorado
Now that we’ve gone over the basics, let’s take a look at some of our favorite companies that offer dental insurance in Colorado.
- No waiting periods
1. Smart Health Dental: Best Overall
Smart Health Dental (SHD) offers multiple dental insurance and non-insurance plan options. It has an extensive national network of over 200,000 licensed dental providers. No waiting periods
There are no waiting periods, and you’ll find dental insurance plans with up to 100% coverage on preventive procedures.
Call for a free quote Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST.
- Saving money on dental expenses
2. DentalPlans.com: Best for Dental Savings Plans
Dentalplans.com is a hub for you to search and find a dental savings plan. Dental savings plans are not insurance. But your monthly membership buys you a savings card to present at the dentist of your choice for a percentage off the price of your services.
Dental savings plans can be an affordable alternative to insurance. Your plan works through nationwide network of dentists that offer 10 to 60% savings on preventive and restorative treatments.
Dentalplans.com is the perfect place to find your savings plan. If you find the same dental savings product at a lower cost, call its AtYourService® Team. It will match the price offered by online competitors.
- Cleaning + exams
3. Delta Dental: Best for Business Owners
Delta Dental is a nonprofit insurance provider that offers a number of business group dental plans at affordable prices. No matter what size business you have, Delta has a plan that you can afford.
Want to provide your employees with dental benefits but have no room in your budget? Delta even offers opt-in plans that give your hardworking employees the dental benefits they need with group discounts — at no cost to your company.
- No annual maximums
4. Careington: Best for Immediate Coverage
Careington Dental Insurance isn’t technically insurance — it’s a dental savings plan. Enrolling in a Careington plan allows you access to dental care from participating providers at a reduced cost. You’ll find a large network of participating dentists, immediate coverage and no age limits.
Its 500 Savings Plan is the most popular. This plan offers an average of 20% to 60% off of standard fees for most dental procedures, including routine exams, teeth cleaning for both adults and children and root canals. The 500 Dental Savings Plan also offers 20% off of orthodontics such as braces. And you’ll also receive unlimited access to eDocAmerica, a free email service to ask dentists questions.
- Easy access to benefits
5. Cigna: Best for In-Network Coverage
A DHMO plan might be right for you if you really want to save on coverage. But finding a DHMO plan that works with your schedule might make it difficult to find a dentist — especially if you live in a more rural area. Cigna’s DHMO network is very large and encompasses over 90,000 individual dental service providers and almost 300,000 locations across the United States.
You can get a plan for as little as $20 a month and you’ll have access to around-the-clock customer service as well. This can be comforting for new patients — especially if this is your first time handling your own insurance.
Keep Your Coverage Affordable
You have tons of options when it comes to which company you want to protect you, from homeowners insurance to car insurance. Dental insurance is no exception — Colorado residents have dozens of companies that offer dental insurance packages at reasonable rates. How can you find the best plan for yourself and your family with so many options?
The key is to leave yourself plenty of time to compare plans and research your options. Let’s say you have a deadline for getting dental insurance (for example, let’s say you leave your job). Keep this date in mind when you shop. Be sure to get at least 5 quotes from different dental insurance companies and make sure you read each option’s plan benefits before you make your choice.
You’re more likely to choose an option that works well with your budget when you don’t need to rush to choose a plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does dental insurance work?
A dental insurance plan charges a premium in exchange for covered benefits. Unlike health insurance plans, dental insurance plans usually have a cap on benefits, which means your plan may stop providing coverage once you reach the annual cap, often between 1k and 3K. Like other types of healthcare insurance, dental insurance focuses coverage on essential services, like cleanings, fillings, etc. Many plans don’t cover braces or elective cosmetic procedures. Get the cheapest premium here.
Is dental coverage part of health insurance?
Some health insurance plans bundle dental coverage as well but, in many cases, dental insurance is a separate plan. Healthcare plans that are ACA-compliant are required to offer dental coverage to children but there is no requirement that adults have dental insurance coverage. Choosing a separate dental insurance plan can be a cost-saving step and helps make dental health costs more predictable. Check out our best providers for the cheapest rate.
What kinds of dental insurance are available?
Your choices for dental insurance plans are similar to health insurance choices. You can choose from a dental HMO, which helps to keep premium costs low by keeping services within controlled network. Dental PPOs give more freedom to choose your dentist and care but cost more than HMO plans. A third option is called a dental indemnity plan, which pays a fixed amount or percentage for covered services. Compare quotes from our top providers for the best price.
Dental Insurance Methodology
To determine the best dental insurance providers, we pored through all United States carriers. We winnowed the list by only including companies that have a wide coverage area and product offering. To further break down the list to the true best dental insurance providers, we gave weight to carriers that offer discounts, are available in all states and have multiple payment plan options.
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About Sarah Horvath
Sarah is an expert in the insurance, investing for retirement and cryptocurrency space.