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Choosing the best dental savings plan, often referred to as a dental discount plan, is an important decision that can significantly impact your oral health and financial well-being. This guide will help you navigate the various factors to consider when selecting the ideal plan for you or your family.
Understanding Dental Savings Plans
Before we dive into plan specifics, it’s important to understand what dental savings plans are.
Dental savings plans (also known as discount dental plans) are a trusted alternative to dental insurance that make dental care simple, flexible and worry free. Plan members report saving an average of 50%* on their dental care.
Unlike traditional dental insurance, a dental savings plan has no annual spending limit, no deductibles, and you get immediate access to discounts as soon as your plan activates – typically within 72 hours of purchase (some plans activate within 24 hours). You pay an annual fee to join and in return, you receive discounted rates on virtually all dental services. You pay the dentist directly, so there’s no paperwork to file, approvals to obtain or waiting for reimbursements.
See how much you can save with a dental savings plan.
Use our calculator below >
What’s the best dental savings plan?
The best dental savings plan is the one that fits your budget and your oral health needs. Below are some things to consider when choosing a dental savings plan.
Assessing Your Dental Needs
Before choosing a dental savings plan, assess your and your family’s dental needs. Consider your past dental history and any anticipated future procedures. If you know you’ll need specific treatments like orthodontics, look for plans that offer good discounts on those services.
Tip: if you purchase a dental savings plan on DentalPlans.com, you can easily switch to another plan anytime, for any reason – it’s the best way to ensure you can always maximize your savings.
Comparing Plan Networks
You can see any dentist who participates in a specific dental savings plan’s network. Reviewing the network of dentists available through a plan is an important part of choosing the best plan for you. Ensure that the plan you’re considering has a good selection of dentists in your area. Some plans offer nationwide networks, others have local networks. If you want to keep seeing your current dentist, check to see what plans they accept. Many dentists accept multiple plans.
Excellent plans with large networks nationwide include Aetna, Careington, and Cigna.
Outstanding plans with a focus on local networks include Dominion National and Solstice Plus Plan One.
Understand the discounts and benefits
If you need a specific, expensive treatment like braces or dental implants, you’ll want to compare what discounts plans offer on those procedures. For example, the Avia Dental Plan offers exceptional discounts on orthodontics as do many other plans such as Aetna Vital Dental Savings and the Careington Care 500 Series.
Select dental savings plans include bonus benefits – discounts on additional healthcare services such as prescriptions, vision and hearing care and products, etc. Select plans even include reduced rates on telehealth services or health club memberships. If these extras are valuable to you, include them in your decision-making process. Plans with the most bonus benefits include :DP CompleteCare and Careington POS.
You can easily filter plans by discounts on specific treatments or bonus benefits here.
Consider the costs
Cost is a major factor in choosing a dental savings plan. Look beyond just the annual fee. Consider the cost of the services you anticipate needing and calculate your potential savings. A plan with a higher annual fee but more significant discounts might be more cost-effective in the long run. That said, a budget-priced plan may be all that you need.
The least expensive plans available on DentalPlans.com include Dentegra Smile Savings, Patriot Plan and UNI-CARE 100.
Read Reviews and Testimonials
Look for reviews and testimonials from current plan members. Their experiences can provide valuable insights into the plan’s effectiveness and customer service quality.
Get help choosing a dental savings plan
If you’d like help choosing the best dental plan for you, give us a call at 1-833-735-0399. We’re DentalPlans.com, the largest dental plan marketplace, with over 25 plans from the most trusted brands in healthcare, accepted by over 70% of dentists and specialists nationwide. We have over 20-years of experience helping people save money at the dentist.
Want to know right now how much you could save with a dental savings plan? Use our calculator below for a quick peek.
*Discount Health Program consumer and provider surveys indicate average savings of 50%. Savings may vary by provider, location, and plan.
