Dental Insurance

Last updated: December 9, 2025 Recently updated

Dental Insurance Guide

Coverage for dental care including preventive, basic, and major services

Not sure what coverage you need? Take our free 2-minute quiz to get personalized insurance recommendations.

What is Dental Insurance?

Dental Insurance provides essential protection for you and your family. Understanding how it works helps you make better coverage decisions.

Key Features

Coverage details and benefits
What’s typically included
Common exclusions to be aware of
Cost factors that affect premiums

Who Needs Dental Insurance?

Learn whether this type of coverage is right for your situation and how to determine the appropriate coverage amount.

How to Choose a Policy

Tips for comparing policies, understanding terms, and finding the best value for your needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about dental insurance answered.

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Data Sources

Dental insurance data in this guide come from NADP (opens in new tab) (National Association of Dental Plans), ADA (opens in new tab) (American Dental Association) surveys, and NAIC (opens in new tab) market reports. Learn more about our data collection methods on our Methodology page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is dental insurance worth it?

Dental insurance makes sense if you’ll use preventive care and anticipate needing treatments. Most plans cover preventive care (cleanings, exams) at 100%, basic procedures at 70-80%, and major work at 50%. Compare annual premiums against expected benefits, considering annual maximums typically range from $1,000-$2,000.

What's the difference between dental insurance and a dental discount plan?

Dental insurance pays a portion of covered procedures up to annual limits. Dental discount plans aren’t insurance—they provide discounted rates (usually 10-60% off) at participating dentists for a monthly fee. Discount plans can be useful if you need major work that exceeds insurance limits.

Why do dental plans have waiting periods?

Waiting periods (typically 6-12 months for major procedures) prevent people from buying insurance only when they need expensive work. Preventive care usually has no waiting period. If you anticipate needing major dental work, factor waiting periods into your planning.