Dental Insurance Companies 

Choosing the dental insurance company that is right for you is not that easy with the vast number of insurers in the market today. A company that has a good reputation and that is dependable are essential qualities that need to be met when choosing a dental insurance company. Apart from the all-important price or cost component, there are also other important factors that need to be considered. Does the company have a good track record of satisfying customers? Do their plans have extensive coverage?

What are the limitations and exceptions? These are just some examples of questions that need to be answered and clarified.

There are a lot of companies that offer dental insurance and the choices could be overwhelming to people who are not familiar with the industry. On top of that, some companies customize their plans which make the job of selecting the right company much harder. But in reality, in an open market where companies are free to enter and leave, consumers ultimately benefit. In a fierce competitive environment, insurers need to be innovative and compelling, to remain profitable. As a consequence, policies become more attractive, coverage wider, and prices cheaper and more affordable.

If you’re not familiar with the dental insurance business it’s good to start your search with the top companies. Usually, these insurers can afford to offer really good packages and policies to customers. Below is a list of some of the top dental insurers:

AETNA Dental Insurance

AETNA offers affordable dental insurance plans that have nationwide coverage. They have over 66,000 accredited dental health professionals all over the US under their wing. Plan holders can get as much as 15%-50% savings from their dental bills. AETNA currently has two major dental insurance plans, namely, the AETNA Individual Advantage Dental (which is categorized by age group) and Vital Savings.

Procedures and services that are covered in their plans include fillings, extractions, dentures, and crowns.

CIGNA Dental Insurance

CIGNA has a large network of dentists all over the US. What makes CIGNA’s dental insurance plans different from other plans is they do not have annual maximum dollar limits and deductibles and most claims filing do not require paperwork. Standards in most plans are two free cleanings, one free annual exam, and one free x-ray. Children also enjoy two free fluoride treatments per year. Most dental procedures and services are covered by CIGNA’s dental insurance.

Guardian Life Dental Insurance

Guardian Life dental insurance plans currently has 6.7 million plan holders under its group or corporate plan. They have over 90,000 accredited dental health professionals all over the U.S. The company currently offers four dental insurance plans, namely, Dental Preferred PPO, Dental Guard Basic, Location-Based DHMO Pre-paid Plans and Maximum Rollover.Guardian Life’s PPO (Preferred Provider Organization), allows plan holders to either choose a dentist of their choice or from a list of accredited dentists in the insurer’s network. This same principle in choosing a dentist applies to the insurer’s pre-paid DHMO (Dental Health Maintenance Organization) plan. However coverage is only limited to select geographical areas.

MetLife Dental Insurance

MetLife currently offers two dental insurance plans, Standard and High Dental. In both plans, plan holders are fully covered for basic dental procedures. The difference lies in advanced procedures. In the Standard Plan, coverage for intermediate procedures is 55%, orthodontia procedures is 50% and major is 35%. High Dental on the other hand offers better coverage. With this plan, coverage for orthodontia procedures is 50%, intermediate 70%, and major procedures 35%. Orthodontia procedures include applications that involve the realignment of overbites, uneven tooth arrangements, and disproportional jaw structures. Procedures covered by the company’s dental insurance are categorized into four types – basic, intermediate, major and orthodontia. Treatments covered by their insurance plans include, cleaning, x-ray, fillings, implants, and root canals. There are tremendous benefits that can be gained with MetLife dental insurance plans, which ideally pay for themselves. Plan holders also enjoy after-sales service programs of MetLife such as the Dental Advisory Council and Quality Initiatives Program.