Smile is an important aspect of anyone’s personality, yet keeping that smile comes at a cost. Dental insurance, like other types of insurance, is important as it helps you pay for necessary dental work and maintain good oral health. It covers problems with the teeth and gums as well as routine maintenance procedures like yearly cleanings. It’s crucial to understand all about these policies before you decide on choosing your plan.

So here are the different types of dental insurance, the best companies to select from, and more.

Different types of dental insurance
Dental Preferred Provider Organization plan (DPPO)
A PPO is a plan that includes a network of dentists who have agreed to provide dental care at a set price. This plan includes routine checkups, cleanings, and x-rays as basic dental services. Any additional dental visits outside of the network will result in out-of-pocket costs. Other than preventative care, any treatment may cost a fee at the time of your appointment, as well as cost-sharing with your insurance.

Dental Health Maintenance Organization plan (DHMO)
A DHMO is one of the more affordable dental plans. Dentists are paid monthly under this plan, whether you use their services or not. Most routine dental cleanings, exams, and X-rays are usually fully covered. There is no annual cap on the number of covered treatments under this plan, so there is no worry about running out of covered dental procedures.

Dental Indemnity plan
This plan offers a lot of flexibility. Since there is no network of dentists within it, you are free to visit any dentist you like. This plan has an annual deductible and coinsurance. Until your deductible is met, you will pay for services out of pocket. These dental plans are often slightly more expensive. This plan is appropriate for people who have fewer requirements but want more options.

Best dental insurance companies
The best dental plans with no waiting period have reasonable monthly rates, high yearly coverage limits, and a large network of dentists to pick from. Here are a few companies that provide excellent service and benefits at fair prices.

Humana
Humana offers the most comprehensive dental insurance options, with no waiting period and three plan types to choose from. It offers 270,000 dentists in its network and has low premiums. The Dental Value plan from Humana is an HMO without a deductible or yearly cap. It also offers Dental Savings Plus, which costs as little as $6.99 monthly.

United Healthcare
This company is the best option for basic coverage, with no waiting period on most of its plans. This is supported by low coinsurance fees, which decrease each year you stay with the provider. The coverage cap ranges from $1,000 to $3,000. Basic service fees are usually paid at 50% in the first year, 35% in the second year, and 20% in the third.

Spirit Dental
Spirit Dental offers eight policies with no waiting period and low coinsurance rates for major services, making it the best option for maximum coverage. Each plan offers a lifetime deductible of $100 per person, and annual maximums range from $750 to $5,000.

Ameritas
Ameritas is the top provider for orthodontics, with no waiting periods and coinsurance rates that start at 85% and drop to 50% after a year. Depending on the plan, Ameritas insurance has a $750 or $2,500 annual cap and a $50 annual deductible.

Denali Dental
This one is great for preventative care, as it covers more treatments than any other provider. Each plan has a lifetime deductible of $100 to $200. The annual maximums range from $750 to $1,200 in year one to $2,500 to $6,000 in year four. In the first year, you’ll have to pay 70% to 90% coinsurance for basic and significant services, but by the fourth year, this will reduce to 40%.

Tips for choosing the right dental insurance plan
Before selecting a plan, it is critical to conduct research and evaluate your needs. Here are a few tips for choosing a plan that is right for you.

Make a basic list of your and your family’s dental and oral needs, past, present, and anticipated. Make a record of previous visits’ costs as a guide for estimating the total cost.

The plans available to you will be determined by what is available in your area. Contact the dental insurance companies that serve your area to learn more about the specific plans available around you.

There are several network sizes available for each type of plan. The size of the network could be important if you reside in a place with few dentists nearby. Choose wisely so that your out-of-pocket expenses are not excessive.