The Independent Worker’s Guide to Dental Insurance
Oral health is a part of overall health. Indeed, taking care of your teeth, gums, and mouth with good dental hygiene can help prevent problems as you age. And knowing how to get dental insurance (and what your plan can include) will help you do it.
Dental insurance helps reduce the cost of routine preventive care. It can also cover some of the cost of any other care you need. The result? You pay less to keep your mouth healthy.
Here, we answer common questions about how to get dental insurance and what’s a part of your plan.
Is dental insurance included in health insurance?
It's unlikely. Most major medical plans do not cover adult dental care. Instead, you'll usually have to buy a separate dental plan. However, under the Affordable Care Act, all health plans must provide dental coverage for kids.
What does dental insurance cover?
Most plans cover three levels of care: preventive and diagnostic, basic restorative, and major restorative care. Here’s what each means:
Preventive and diagnostic care: This is the least costly type of care because it takes your dentist the least amount of time. It generally covers cleanings and oral exams twice a year. It also includes x-rays and fluoride treatment for a specific subset of people. This care is usually fully covered by your plan, which means these services are free to you.
Basic restorative care: This includes fillings, extractions, root canals, and emergency palliative care. This care often requires more time from your dentist and is thus more costly. An average plan will cover 80 percent of these costs. You pay the other 20 percent.
Major restorative care: This includes crowns, bridges, implants, dentures, and other big procedures. These often require more time at your dentist and cost the most. A typical plan will cover 50 percent of these costs, while you pay the other 50 percent.
Most plans don’t cover cosmetic dental procedures (like veneers, teeth whitening, and, often, orthodontia). You will likely have to pay for these on your own.
Insider tip: Remember, these are just guidelines. Be sure to read all the coverage details when browsing for a plan, as they can vary from what’s listed above.
What's the difference between a dental HMO vs. PPO?
Like health insurance, you have to choose a plan network when picking dental coverage. Here’s the breakdown of HMO vs. PPO plans:
HMO (health maintenance organization): This type of dental plan requires you to choose a dentist or dental facility that will oversee all of your oral health care and needs. If you try to visit a dentist "out of network" of your HMO plan, insurance won't cover the visit. You'll have to pay for it yourself.
PPO (preferred provider organization): This type of dental plan is much more flexible. PPO plans usually have a broader network of dentists and clinics. Unlike an HMO, you don't need to stick to one dentist. PPO plans prefer that you stay in their network. Still, they'll provide coverage (albeit less) if you go outside of the network.
How much is dental insurance?
It depends. In general, though, HMO plans tend to have a lower monthly payment than PPO plans.
Can I find dental insurance options through Stride?
You bet! Stride offers custom dental coverage (and yes, they’re PPO plans).
What comes with Stride dental insurance plans?
No waiting periods: Start using your plan immediately!
Affordability: Plans start at less than $20/month
Nationwide PPO network: Our plans are accepted by over 300,000 dental locations across the U.S.
Easy enrollment: Finding and enrolling in a plan takes less than 10 minutes.
