Dental care is important for people of all ages, but older adults are more prone to issues that need expensive treatment, such as gum disease and tooth loss. That’s why it’s important for seniors to choose dental insurance that has solid coverage for care classified by the industry as “major,” such as implants and dentures. Investopedia found is the best overall🐟 insurer for seniors because of its strong coverage for most levels of care and high annual coverage limit.
However, other providers may fit your needs better. To help you find the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:best plan for your needs, staff editors and researchers evaluated policies from 17 major insurance providers across 11 criteria, including overall costs, customer satisfaction ratings, and coverage amounts. For each company, we looked at the lowest-premium plan that covers 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:all three levels of dental care (preventive, “basic,” and “major”). Here are our top𝓡 picks for older adults seeking private dental i🐷nsurance.
Best Dental Insurance Companies for Older Adults
- Best Overall: 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网: Delta Dental
- Runner-Up: MetLife
- Most Affordable: 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网: Physicians Mutual
- Best for Waiting Periods: Spirit
- Best for Customer Satisfaction: 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网: DentaQuest
Best Overall : Delta Dental
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Delta Dental
- Annual Max Benefit for Sample Plan: $2,000
- Annual Deductible (Sample Plan): $50
- Company’s Nationwide Availability: All states + D.C.
The Investopedia team named Delta Dental the best 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:dental insurance for older adults because, in the regions we researched, its Premium PPO plan offers relatively strong coverage levels for “major” dental care that seniors might need (for example, periodontics, implants, and dentures), up to a high annual maximum of $2,000. The plan also features outstanding coverage for dental implants, earning it the top spot on our list of the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:best dental insurance for implants.
Delta operates nationwide, but its cove💟rage offerings vary by state. The Delta Dental Premium PPO Plan is available in 15 states plus the District of Columbia: Alabama, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, and ♓West Virginia.
Great coverage for 𒁏costly services ღseniors may need
High annual coverage cap
Better coverage for implants than most companies
Low customer complaint rate
Short waiting period for basic and major care
High premiums
Delta’s Premium PPO Plan c𝔉overs 100% of preventive care (such as cleanings and X-rays), 80% of basic care (such as fillings), and 50% of major care sucღh as periodontics and dentures. That last point is important because while 50% may not sound like a lot, it beats the coverage offered by more than half of the companies we researched.
To access coverage for basic or major care, you’ll first have to pay a $50 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:deductible and go through a six-month 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:waiting period. That waiting peri🦹od is shorter than many plans we examined, which requir🍒e a 12-month waiting period.
Although premiums for Delta’s PPO plans are among the highest we saw, the $50 deductible matches or beats competitors, and the $2,000 annual coverage max is higher than what nearly all comparable plans offer. That gives it a better-than-average overall cost-for-value score, a measꦓure Investopedia uses to judge how much you get for your money.
State regulators received substantially fewer customer complaints about Delta Dental than expected for a company of its size, which is an indicator of customer satisfaction. All of these factors helped it land at the top of our list of the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:best dental insurance companies as well.
Delta claims to be the leading dental insurer in the U.S., wit🐭h the biggest network of dentists. The Delta Dental Plans Association wꦫas formed in 1966 to serve businesses with employees in multiple states, but some of Delta’s state dental associations have been around since 1954. Today the association consists of 39 companies that together operate in 50 states plus Washington, D.C.
Runner-Up : MetLife
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MetLife
- Annual Max Benefit for Sample Plan: $1,500
- Annual Deductible (Sample Plan ): $50
- Company’s Nationwide Availability: All states + D.C.
MetLife ♋may be a lower-premium alternative to Delta Dental for people who don’t mind a one-year waiting period for major care. The sample plan we examined provides the same 50% coverage level for major care as Delta does at a lower premium. The plan is inferior to Delta’s sample plan in other ways but MetLife offers better coverage through a higher-premium plan that’s still cheaper than Delta’s in some states.
Robust coverage for major dental care
Lower-than-average premiums for seniors
Fewer customer complaints than expected for comp♍any size
12-month waiting period for major care coverage
As with Delta’s sample plan, MetLife’s PPO-Medium plan covers 100% of preventive care and 50% of major care, but its premiums are 20% to 30% lower than the Delta sample plan’s, depending on where you live. The MetLife plan only covers 70% of basic care (vs. Delta’s 80%), and its annual coverage limi👍t is $1,500, which is lower than Delta’s $2,000. Still, MetLife’s offering is better than most other competitors on both of those fronts.
What’s more, the MetLife PPO-High plan has a $2,000 annual max, a $25 deductible, and coverage equivalent to Delta’s comprehensive PPO with premiums that are still slightly lower than Delta’s in some areas. The 🉐waiting period for that plan is also 12 months for major care coverage.
State regulators received fewer complaints about MetLife than expected for the company’s size. But MetLife scored below average on the J.D. Power 2023 dental insurance satisfaction survey. It ranked fifth out of nine companies.
MetLife was founded in New 🐲York as a life insurance provider in 1868 and now offers many different kinds of insurance in 40 markets. Its main focus is on employer-sponsored coverage, but individuals and families can also buy TakeAlong dental plans directly from its website.
Most Affordable : Physicians Mutual
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Physicians Mutual
- Annual Max Benefit for Sample Plan: Unlimited
- Annual Deductible (Sample Plan): $0
- Company’s Nationwide Availability: 42 states + D.C.
Physicians Mutual’s lowest-premium plan, the Economy PPO, features relatively low premiums, a $0 deductible, and no annual cap on benefits. However, it only covers 25% of basic and major care costs. Another option is the Physicians Mutual Premier Plan, which covers 70% of basic care costs (less than Delta’s 80%) and 70% of major care costs (more than ﷽Delta’s 50%). It also has a lower premium than the sample Delta plan we researched in California. Given the plan’s unlimited coverage cap, this plan may provide the best value in many states.
Plans offer great value for the price
No deductible or annual limits
Offers four PPO options with major coverage
Less coverage for basic care than other companies
12-month waiting period for major care coverage
While we like the cost and c𒀰overage features of a couple of Physicians Mutual plans, there are a few cave🤪ats. All plans impose a 12-month waiting period for major care coverage. And preventive care is only 100% covered if you use an in-network dentist, though the company’s 500,000 provider locations offer lots of options.
When Physicians Mutual was e𝔉stablished in 1902, it specialized in health insurance for doctors and surgeons. The company now provides several kinds of insurance, including dental, and is based in Omaha🔥, Nebraska.
Best for Waiting Periods : Spirit
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Spirit Dental
- Annual Max Benefit for Sample Plan: $750 ($1,000 in year 2)
- Lifetime Deductible (Sample Plan): $100
- Company’s Nationwide Availability: Nationwide except Washington
Spirit de🐼ntal plans have no waiting periods at all, so you can access basic or major care coverage right away. Most competitors make you wait 12 months before you’re eligible for coverage of implants, crowns, and other major procedures.
No waiting periods
Very low premiums
Relatively low lifetime deductible
Offers a plan that includes extra cleaning coverage and🌃 hearing benefits
Poor coverage for basic and major care
Low annual max benefit
High customer complaint rate re𝐆lative to company size
Besides having no waiting periods, Spirit’s lowest-premium PPO that covers all three levels of care has nearly the best premiums of the 17 companies Investopedia researched. The Spirit Preventive Plus PPO covers 100% of p🌸reventive care after you pay a lifetime deductible of $100.
Most other companies require you to pay a new deduct🌊ible every 🐭year.
But other coverage is scant. The plan only covers 50% of basic care costs and 20% of the cost of major ♑care services such as dentures. And the coverage cap is a low $750 the ꦆfirst year, rising to $1,000 the second year, which is still unimpressive compared to Delta Dental or Physicians Mutual.
However, Spirit has a more comprehensive plan aimed at seniors tha🥀t is relatively affordable. The Preferred PPO plan covers three annual cleanings and two exams at 100%. Basic and major care coverage is poor in the first year, but rises to 100% and 50% coverage, respectively, in the second year, up to a maximum of $1,500 in year 1 and $3,000 in year 2.
Plus, the Preferred PPO includes hearing benefits that some older adults ౠwill find helpful. Each year, the plan provides up to $75 for hearing exams and covers half the cost of hearing aids up to the maximum benefit, which is $200 in the first year, rising to $400 in the third year. 𒊎
On the downside, Spirit plans are 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:underwritten by Ameritas, which has a poor customer satisfaction record. State regulators received about 50% more customer complaints about Ameritas than expected for a company of its size over a three-year period. Also, Ameritas came in last out of nine companies in a J.D. Power customer survey.
Spirit has been providing dental insurance for more than 20 years and says it’s one of the first companies to offer no waiting periods. It is based in St♛. Pa💖ul, Minnesota.
Best for Customer Satisfaction : DentaQuest
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Denta Quest
- Annual Max Benefit for Sample Plan: $1,250
- Annual Deductible (Sample Plan): $100
- Company’s Nationwide Availability: 13 states
Of all the companies Investopedia researched, DentaQuest had the lowest customer complaint rate over a three-year period. In addition, it was ranked fourth out of nine companies in J.D. Power’s customer satisfaction survey, scoring higher than average.
Lowest customer complaint rate Investopedia found
Ranked ab♏ove average in a ꧅customer satisfaction survey
Low premiums relative to industry average
Only available in 13 states
High $100 deductible
Relatively low annual coverage cap
Lengthy 18-month waiting period for major care
While DentaQuest has a good reputation with customers, it’s best for seniors who don’t need a lot of expensive care. The sample plans we exa🃏mined in Texas and Illinois cover 100% of preventive care, such as exams and cleanings, right away without a deductible. They have lower-than-average premiums, but the annual deductibles are a relatively high $100, and coverage is capped at a not-so-great $1,250 a year.
Depending on your state, the plan may cover 50% of basic care costs and 30% to 50% of major care costs. The plans alไso require a lengthy 18-month waiting period for dentu༒res, crowns, and other major care.
If you think you’ll just need preventive care for the next year, you may be better off with DentaQuest’s Personal Dental Plan, which only covers cleanings, exams, and X-rays at 100%. It has no deductible, no waiting periods, and cheap monthlജy premiums.
In some states, DentaQuest’s plans are ✅澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:EPO (exclusive provider organization) 𓄧plans that don’t provide any out-of-network coverage, and the company covers a relatively small network of 100,000 access points.
DentaQuest has been selling dental insurance since 2001 and serves 33 million members, making it the second-largest dental insurance provider in the U.S. by membership. It’s also the biggest provider of dental coverage t꧟o Medicaid recipients. Th🏅e company is based in Boston and was acquired by Dentaquest in 2021.
Why Trust Us
This list of the best dental insurance for older adults was created by staff researchers and editors who first conducted rigorous, unbiased research. We considered 17 dental insuranceꦦ companies and 35 criteria crucial to choosing a dental policy in your later years, including premiums, annual coverage caps, coverage levels for various services, waiting periods, and customer satisfaction. We then scored and weighted the more than 595 data points to determine the best providers.
Investopedia has been delivering trusted financial information since 199🎉9 and unbiased dental insurance reviews since 2020.
How We𒊎 Chose the Best Dental Insurance Providers for Older Adults
Investopedia’s research process began with assessing which dental insurers to review. We examined market share data from business and industry sources and tapped Google reviews to gauge consumer thoughts about the industry and specific insurance companies. We landed on 17 companies that offer individual dental insurance plans that cover all three levels of dental care: preventive, basic, and major. We left out plans that have to be bought with 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Obamacare health insurance through a state or federဣal marketplace. &nb🌃sp;
Investopedia’s research team then collected data from company websites, media contacts, and partner providers. We analyzed three years’ worth of customer complaints made to state regulators from the National Association of Insura♔nce Commissioners (NAIC).
Staff researcher♓s and senior editors next developed a quantitative model that scored each dental insurance provider on 35 criteria that fall into four major categories and are crucial in evaluating a company’s offerings. We weighted the fourꦺ categories as follows for this article:
- Coverage: 52%
- Cost-to-Value: 33%
- Customer Satisfaction: 10%
- State Availability: 5%
To learn more about our process for finding the best dental insurance companies, 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:read our full methodology.
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Investopedia / Alice Morgan
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