Dental Insurance Coverage

What Dental Coverage Includes

Typical plan structure

Most dental plans follow a 100-80-50 pattern: preventive care like cleanings and exams covered at 100 percent, basic work like fillings at around 80 percent, and major work like crowns or root canals at around 50 percent. Understanding which category a procedure falls into tells you most of what you will pay.

What to check before choosing

• Annual maximum. Most plans cap what they pay each year, commonly between $1,000 and $2,000. Big treatment plans can exceed this fast.
• Waiting periods. Many plans make you wait 6 to 12 months before covering major work. If you know you need a crown, this matters more than the premium.
• Network dentists. Staying in network can cut your costs roughly in half on major procedures.

Standalone vs. bundled

Dental is usually sold separately from health insurance. We help you decide whether a standalone dental plan or a bundled option makes more sense based on what your teeth actually need this year, not just the monthly price.