How long has it been since your last visit to the dentist? If you’re like many people, it was longer than the recommended six months ago. And we get it: It’s easy to put off the potential expense of dental care.
However, good dental health is important for overall health, and minor dental problems you may have now can turn into more serious problems in the future. That’s why seeing a dentist and having the right dental insurance plan can make a big difference.
Many people opt for more comprehensive dental plans to ensure they get the care they need. But what is comprehensive dental insurance (also known as full-coverage dental insurance)? Is it right for you?
Let’s talk about how comprehensive dental insurance works, what it covers, and how you can find the right plan for you and your family.
What is comprehensive dental insurance?
Comprehensive dental insurance, also known as full coverage, covers a broad spectrum of dental services. “Full coverage” refers to the range of dental services covered, such as checkups, fillings, and even crowns. Full or comprehensive coverage does not mean that the dental insurance plan will cover all of the costs of the service, but it will cover a portion. Comprehensive dental plans include deductibles, coinsurance, and an annual maximum limit that the dental plan will pay for dental care during the year.
So what exactly does a full coverage dental plan cover? While every plan is different, comprehensive dental insurance typically covers most services, from preventative and basic care to major restorative care:
- Preventive care: As the name suggests, preventive dental care is designed to help you maintain optimal oral health and prevent more serious dental problems, such as gum disease and cavities. These services typically include routine exams, cleanings, and x-rays. Most comprehensive dental plans will cover all or most of the costs associated with preventive care, but there is often a limit on how often you can receive these services within a calendar year.
- Basic care: Basic dental care refers to dental procedures and services that are considered routine and simple. It focuses on treatment rather than prevention, addressing damage that has already occurred. Basic care typically covers things like fillings, simple extractions and root canals, treatment of gum disease, and other services like oral cancer screenings.
- Major restorative care: Major restorative care is a step beyond basic care: these services are more intensive and treat damage that requires more than a simple procedure. They can include services such as bridges, complex root canals, crowns, larger extractions, oral surgery, and dentures.
- Orthodontic care: Orthodontic care is a dental specialty focused on straightening teeth and correcting bite abnormalities. It is more likely to be available with a dental plan offered by an employer rather than an individual dental plan. Coverage is typically reserved for those under 18 or 19 years old, depending on plan limitations. Services may include things like braces, retainers, palatal expanders, or clear aligners like Invisalign®.
Many comprehensive dental plans have a waiting period.
Many comprehensive dental insurance plans include a waiting period between the time you first enroll in your plan and the time full coverage for more extensive dental services begins. Insurance companies have this guardrail in place to discourage enrollees from receiving expensive dental care and then dropping coverage. This helps keep premiums affordable for everyone.
The length of the waiting period varies by plan, but it typically lasts between six and twelve months. During that time, you can still go to the dentist, but it’s important to know what services may or may not be covered. Typically, you’ll have coverage for preventive care, but things like basic and major dental care will be subject to the waiting period.
Not all plans have waiting periods. They can be skipped if you are leaving a plan through your employer or if you are switching to a different dental insurance company and have had continuous coverage.
Comprehensive dental insurance vs. more basic plans
Not all types of dental plans offer full coverage – some insurance providers offer more limited options that cover only a few types of care, such as preventive and basic dental services.
These more limited options can be a great choice if you get some of your dental coverage through other programs. For example, a Medicare plan may cover only preventive services, such as routine checkups and cleanings, but not fillings or root canals. In that case, you can purchase a dental plan that covers only basic and major services, so you pay only for what you need.
More limited plans can often be more affordable and have lower monthly premiums. However, if you don’t have partial dental coverage through another plan, a comprehensive dental insurance plan will help mitigate the costs of care in a way that a less extensive plan won’t. Dental care can get expensive quickly, and a full-coverage dental plan can help ensure that you and your family get the care you need no matter what happens.
The cost of full coverage dental insurance
In the U.S., the average monthly premium cost for a comprehensive dental plan is about $52 per person. However, this price depends on your insurance provider and what your plan offers. Your plan’s annual maximum and out-of-pocket costs, such as your deductible, copayments, and coinsurance, can also affect your premium amount:
- Annual maximum: The maximum amount your plan will pay for services within the calendar year. Once this amount is reached, you begin paying out-of-pocket for care.
- Deductible: The amount you must pay out-of-pocket for care before your plan begins to cover costs.
- Coinsurance: A fixed percentage of your dental bill that you pay for services. Your plan covers the rest.
How to get full coverage dental insurance
There are many ways to purchase and enroll in comprehensive dental insurance. If your employer offers a full-coverage dental plan, you can usually sign up when you are first hired or during the open enrollment period at the end of the year.
If your employer doesn’t offer dental insurance, you may want to consider purchasing a comprehensive plan from an independent health insurance company. This is a great option for those who want to compare a wide selection of comprehensive dental plans that offer different price levels and additional benefits. Many dental plans purchased this way, such as some of those offered by HealthPartners as a nonprofit health care provider, don’t have an enrollment period, so you can sign up at any time.
Another option is to look for a dental plan on the health insurance marketplace. In Minnesota, the state marketplace is called MNsure..
Comprehensive dental insurance for seniors
For seniors, regular visits to the dentist can help prevent or address dental problems that older people are more likely to experience, such as gum disease, cavities, and enamel loss.
A solid comprehensive plan can help ensure you get the dental care you need, and seniors have plenty of options. There are many different types of private dental plans for people over 60 who aren’t yet eligible for Medicare. This can include plans that offer additional benefits (like out-of-network coverage) and even some plans that can be integrated with your health insurance so everything is in one place. For those who are eligible for Medicare, you can also look into Medicare Advantage plans that offer dental coverage benefits or a Medicare Supplement dental insurance plan.
Do you have more questions about dental insurance?
If you have questions about your current dental plan, you can contact your insurance company. If you are looking for an affordable plan for yourself or your family, our experts are ready to help.
