Dental Insurance: What You Need to Know
Dental insurance helps cover the cost of maintaining your oral health, including routine checkups, cleanings, and more significant procedures like fillings, crowns, and root canals. It can be purchased as a standalone plan or as an add-on to a health insurance plan, especially in individual and family coverage.
What Dental Insurance Typically Covers
- Preventive Care (100% Covered in Most Plans): Exams, X-rays, cleanings (usually twice a year)
- Basic Services (Typically 70–80% Covered): Fillings, extractions, and minor repairs
- Major Services (Typically 50% Covered): Crowns, bridges, root canals, dentures
* Orthodontics (like braces) are usually not included in basic plans, but some offer it as optional coverage.
Getting dental insurance can be a smart financial and health decision, especially if you want to maintain your oral health and avoid unexpected high costs.
Here are the main reasons why you should consider getting dental insurance:
Save Money on Preventive Care
Most dental insurance plans fully cover preventive services like:
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- Routine checkups
- Cleanings (usually twice a year)
- X-rays
Preventive care helps catch issues early—before they become expensive problems.
Lower Out-of-Pocket Costs for Procedures
Dental treatments can be expensive without insurance. For example:
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- Fillings: $100–$300 per tooth
- Root canals: $700–$1,500+
- Crowns: $800–$2,000+
With dental insurance, a significant portion of these costs is covered, saving you hundreds or even thousands per year.
Covers Unexpected Dental Emergencies
Accidents or sudden tooth pain can happen anytime. Insurance helps offset the cost of emergency dental work, which can be financially overwhelming if you’re uninsured.