Dental Savings Plans For Seniors

Join A Dental Savings Plan Today And Get:

Savings you can trust: Use your dental plan to save 10-60% at the dentist as often as you want. No worries about annual spending limits, deductibles, or maximum lifetime benefits.

Peace of mind: DentalPlans.com offers a 30-Day, Money-Back Guarantee on all savings plans.

Friendly customer care:If you have any questions about choosing or using your plan, even if you need help finding a dentist – our U.S.-based customer service team is always happy to help.

Dental Insurance Vs Discount Plan

Both dental insurance and discount plans can be valuable for reducing your total dental costs. Whether you select dental insurance or a discount plan should be based on your specific needs and dental history.

Similar to health insurance, dental insurance requires that you pay a monthly premium. After your deductible is met, your insurance pays all or a set percentage of your covered dental expenses until you meet your benefit maximum for the year. Insurances may require a waiting period for all coverages or certain types of coverage, so you must read the fine print on any plan you select. Unlike insurance, discount plans never pay dental costs for you. Instead, they provide you with 10 to 60 percent discounts on expenses with participating dentists.

In short, older adults who need major work done that totals less than an insurance plans benefit maximum may find value in choosing an insurance plan so might those who already have a long history of dental problems. However, if you simply want to lower your preventive and routine care costs, a discount card might be your best bet.

What Does Dental Insurance Typically Exclude

The most affordable dental insurance plans typically exclude coverage for basic and major services and only cover preventive care such as cleanings. Here are some examples of excluded coverages:

• Basic services like fillings or major services like crowns or bridges
• Natural or alternative treatments like acupuncture
• Some companies limit anesthesia in certain circumstances
• Many companies exclude orthodontics, even on their top-tier plans
• Pain management may be limited or excluded and subject to frequency limits and waiting periods
• Pre-existing conditions

Once you reach the annual coverage maximum, you will receive no more coverage, and additional work will be excluded until the next year.

When considering exclusions on dental insurance, remember that you have various choices of coverage. Dental insurance plans vary depending on the provider, with the least expensive plans often providing only very limited preventive or routine services. The benefit level you choose will determine how much coverage you have vs. how much work will be paid out of pocket.

Here is an overview of what each type of coverage is typically defined as.

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Dental Insurance Vs Dental Savings Plans For Seniors

Dental insurance may be the right choice for you if you enjoy excellent dental health and are unlikely to need expensive dental care within your first year of purchasing insurance. And some dental insurance plans waive the waiting period for new members who have proof of consistent coverage prior to purchasing new insurance

But if you dont want to or cant wait for reduced costs on expensive dental care, you can join a Dental Savings Plan.

Dental Savings Plans are the alternative to traditional dental insurance. You get discounts of 10%-60% on your dental care . And, unlike traditional dental insurance, members of Dental Savings Plans dont have to worry about annual spending limits and can save on restorative procedures as soon as their plan activates.

How Should You Compare Dental Insurance Plans For Seniors

When comparing dental insurance plans, there are a few important factors that you should consider. These include:

• Cost: Look for plans with low premiums and deductibles.
• Coverage limits: If you know youre likely to need major dental work in the future, you should choose a plan with a high maximum coverage limit.
• Availability: Look for a provider that has availability in your area and a large network.
• Waiting periods: The best dental plans have short waiting periods that allow you to get the coverage you need when you need it.

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How Should Seniors Use Dental Insurance

As a senior, its important to stay on top of preventive care in order to prevent future dental problems down the line. Many dental insurance plans offer free preventive care services with no waiting period. If you know youll need dental work in the future, its a good idea to purchase dental insurance as soon as possible since some plans have waiting periods of up to two years for major services.

Are Discount Dental Programs Worth The Money

When youre considering how to spend your money on dental care, its important to be aware of the advantages and disadvantages of discount dental programs.

• Pros:May help you save money. No waiting period for dental services. No paperwork. You have a wide choice of dentists to choose from,discounts on a range of dental procedures, and a few different types of programs to choose from. They often come with additional lifestyle benefits, such as identity protection, roadside assistance, and wellness programs. You can also buy a discount dental program in addition to traditional dental insurance to help cover treatments not covered by your dental insurance or to help save if your dental insurance benefits reach their limit.
• Cons:Discount doesnt mean free. You pay an annual membership fee to join the program. Each dental service you receive may cost you out-of-pocket, even if it comes with a discount, but programs vary. Depending on the dental care you receive you could end up spendingmorein a year than you would with a traditional dental plan, sometimes called full coverage dental insurance .

Whats bettera discount dental program or traditional dental coverage?

It depends on your situation and needs. Here are some questions to ask yourself when deciding whether to buy a discount dental program vs. traditional dental plan.

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Best Dental Plans For Seniors

In this article, we may include products or services we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission to help fund our mission to create more healthy smiles. Heres our process.

As you approach retirement youll have to start making some major decisions about healthcare, insurance, and even your dental coverage. Even if youre planning on using Medicare, you probably wont have the same type of dental perks that you did with your previous insurance policy. At this point, its a great idea to consider dental discount plans for seniors or separate dental insurance for seniors.

The older we get, the more at-risk our smiles are for issues like:

• Dry mouth , resulting in tooth decay
• Replacing old dental work as it starts to leak or age
• Bone loss and tooth mobility

Even though you may have always had great oral hygiene and very few dental problems in the past, giving up on your dental checkups altogether could cause little issues to spiral out of control.

Its best to stay ahead of issues while theyre small, through preventative care and early intervention. But if you dont have senior dental insurance, youll probably be more likely to shove those problems to the side. Until one day, youre struggling with chronic tooth loss and trying to figure out how youre going to eat normally, or even pay for your treatment on a fixed income.

Aetna Dental Plans And Pricing

Aetna offers two PPO insurance plans and two discount plans you can select from to cover your dental needs. The chart below provides an overview of each plan, its benefits, deductible, and costs.

Tip: While Medicare does not cover any preventative or routine dental care, specific Medicare Advantage plans cover some dental needs. Review your plan and coverages before purchasing supplemental insurance or discount cards.

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How Dental Savings Plans Work

After you join a dental savings plan, you gain access to a network of dentists who have agreed to provide discounted rates to plan members. You pay the discounted rate directly to the dentist after receiving dental care.

Preventive care: Specialists:Cosmetic treatments:Unexpected Dental Emergencies

You cant afford to delay critical dental care, but how can you pay that big bill? With a dental savings plan that activates within 24-hours, you can afford to get the care you need fast!

Dental Discounts Without The Wait

Why wait 6-12 months for dental insurance coverage to kick in for that root canal, crown or bridge? With a dental savings plan, you get reduced rates at the dentist the minute your plan activates.

A Nationwide Network Of Caring Dentists

Why do dentists offer discounts? Because its good for their business, and its good for the communities they serve. Depending on the particular dental savings plan you choose, you gain access to a nationwide or local network of dentists who welcome plan members.

Affordable Quality Dental Care

Dental discounts dont mean that the quality of care is reduced. Many dental savings plans pre-screen dentists prior to accepting them into the plans network.

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Best For No Waiting Periods: Cigna Dental Savings Plan

If you need care quickly, its better to choose a dental savings plan that offers coverage with no waiting period. When you sign onto a plan with a waiting period, you cannot use your plans benefits until the waiting period closes.

Cignas Dental Savings Plan offers quick coverage and allows you to begin using your benefits as soon as youre enrolled. The plan has no waiting period, which can make it an ideal choice for anyone who currently needs dental treatments and whos looking for a way to limit care costs. Cignas network of dental professionals also includes more than 88,000 service providers, which means that youre sure to find care near you.

Pros:

• Low-cost premiums for individuals and families
• Comprehensive customer care options available

Con:

• Discounts not standardized in all areas

AM Best rating: A

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The Best Dental Plans For Seniors

Many insurance providers only cover a few states, or only work through insurance agents and brokers. So for now, we have just included a few providers who offer insurance to the majority of states with the option to purchase direct. Exact policy details may vary between states, so this information should be used as a guideline only.

You can read about the best insurance providers based on state by choosing your state from the following dropdown menu:

Most insurers offer the option of adding your spouse or other family members to your plan for a higher premium. There is also the option to purchase a separate family dental plan.

Dental Discount Plans Vs Dental Insurance For Seniors

Most of us have essentially been trained to think we need dental insurance. But what we dont realize is that dental insurance coverage hasnt increased the yearly benefit amounts with the cost of living for over 40 years. When you switch from traditional insurance to a dental savings plan, you can potentially save more money out-of-pocket, depending on what type of dental care you tend to need.

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Is Dental Insurance Cheaper Than Paying Out Of Pocket

If a procedure is more complicated and expensive, you may end up paying more out-of-pocket with a savings plan than you would with dental insurance. This is because your policy can often cover 100% of services or procedures until its stated maximum.

Take time considering which of these two options suits your needs best so that you can get one step closer towards better senior dental care. Check out some of our previous articles on senior health plans to ensure that your retirement planning covers all the necessary bases. Contact Senior Strong today for more information!

Best For Telemedicine: Careington Dental Savings Plan

Not every dental pain or issue requires a visit to the dentist. However, you may not be sure whether you need to visit a dental service provider without speaking with a professional. In these instances, telemedicine can provide you with an affordable way to speak with a dental professional before booking an expensive visit.

Careington Dental Savings Plans is one of the only dental savings plan providers weve seen to offer free, unlimited telemedicine. You can connect with a fully accredited doctor 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with the companys 500 Plus Series. There are also no consultation fees or limitations on the number of visits you can use with your benefits.

Pros:

• Unlimited telemedicine included with the 500 Plus Series
• 20% to 50% savings on dental care services

Con:

• More expensive than most competing dental discount plans

AM Best rating: N/A

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Senior Dental Care Options Through The Aca

The ACA does not require adults to have or purchase dental insurance and few of the plans youll find on the Marketplace will include dental benefits.

Stand-alone dental insurance policies are available through the federal health Marketplace, healthcare.gov, but only with the purchase of a medical insurance plan from the Marketplace. And federal subsidies are not available for stand-alone dental plans.

A few state-run marketplaces do allow residents to purchase stand-alone dental plans without the requirement that they also purchase a health insurance policy.

You can also obtain dental insurance plans from brokers, agents and insurance companies.

Aetna Vital Savings Plans

Aetna® Vital Savings offers two discount plans. Each plan provides about 15 percent to 50 percent off dental services, from cleanings and fillings to dentures and root canals. When you purchase Vital Savings lowest costing Aetna plan, Aetna Vital Dental Savings, you pay $7.99 per month for an individual or $10.99 a month for family coverage. Once youre a member, you are eligible for discounts at Aetna Vital Savings 262,000 participating dental providers nationwide. In contrast with insurance, no waiting periods apply, and you qualify for discounts on day one.

The other, slightly more expensive, discount card Aetna offers is Aetna Vital Savings Rx. This plan is $9.99 a month for individuals and $12.99 per month for families. For dental services and procedures, Vital Saving Rx provides the same discounts as Aetna Vital Savings. However, one thing makes the Vital Savings Rx dental plan stand out: discounts at the pharmacy. In addition to all of the other cards deals, the plan cuts your dental prescription costs by up to 60 percent on generic medications and 12 percent on brand name drugs at over 68,000 U.S. pharmacies. Considering the kind of dent prescriptions have previously left in my wallet, Id be all about selecting the plan that includes pharmacy discounts.

The Aetna Vital Savings for dental care is not available in Montana or Vermont. The Rx discount card is not available in Tennessee.

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How Are Dental Savings Plans Different From Insurance

No waiting: You can use your Dental Savings Plan to reduce the cost of restorative care within 72 hours of purchasing the plan. If you have existing dental health issues, this is a real perk. Who wants to wait months to get a painful tooth fixed?

No worries: Dental Savings Plans have no annual spending limits. You can use your plan as often as needed to save on dental care. Why pay more than you have to for dental care?

No fuss: there is no paperwork to file, no pre-authorizations, no background checks or deductibles. You just pay the plan members discounted rate to any of the 140,000+ participating dentists and dental specialists nationwide. Its so easy to save at the dentist when you have a Dental Savings Plan!

Cigna Dental Insurance For Seniors

Are you newly retired? If you dont have dental coverage as part of your Medicare or retirement benefits, youve probably asked yourself, Do I really need dental insurance?

The truth is, you need just as much preventative dental care now as you did when you were younger. In fact, maybe more so. Why? Because as you age, your mouth tends to become dry, your older restorations wear out, and your gums recede. All of these variables can significantly raise your risk for tooth decay and loss.

How do you find the right type of dental insurance for your needs, especially as a senior?

Focus on Preventative Care

Most dental problems are preventable. If youve always been one to see the dentist regularly, youre off on the right start. Pick a dental insurance plan that includes routine prophylactic services like:

• Dental cleanings every six months
• Diagnostic dental X-rays
• Yearly exams and gum disease screenings
• Oral cancer exams

How Often Seniors Need to See a Dentist

What if You Need Dental Work?

One of the biggest misconceptions by seniors is that if their teeth give them problems, they should just have them all extracted, and a pair of dentures made. While denturesare a viable solution for chronic dental health problems, they shouldnt be the go-to treatment for a few troublesome teeth.

What if I Need or Already Wear Dentures?

Affordable Alternatives to Traditional Insurance

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Best Value: Delta Dental

Delta Dental

Delta Dental offers plans geared toward seniors either through the AARP and directly on their website. They provide a lot of information and resources for retirees on their site, and they were one of the few insurers we reviewed offering immediate coverage for fillings, denture repair, tooth removal, and root canals in the AARP Plan.

• No waiting periods for many services

• Guaranteed acceptance for AARP members

• 12 month waiting period for major work on some plans

• PPO plans feature deductibles and maximums

Delta Dental is the leading provider of dental insurance in the U.S., offering coverage in all states and serving over 80 million Americans. Delta Dental is a not-for-profit organization made up of 39 independent Delta Dental companies. They have an AM Best financial strength rating of A .

Delta Dental has contracted with AARP to provide members with special pricing to help seniors fit dental insurance into their budgets, and there are HMO and PPO plans available. The HMO is the cheapest option, followed by the PPO B, and lastly, the PPO A is the most expensive option. The PPO plans allow you to choose any dentist, while the HMO plan utilizes a network of dental facilities.

There is no annual maximum and no deductible on the DeltaCare USA plan. The PPO plans have an annual maximum of $1,000 to $1,500 with deductibles ranging from $40 to $90 depending on service and plan.