It is very necessary to maintain dental insurance in order to be prepared for any dental emergency that may arise. Dental insurance policies usually have a waiting period between when you sign up and when you start getting benefits. There are different waiting periods and they usually range from six months to a year, depending on the insurance plan.
But, in emergency circumstances, you will need immediate treatment such as root canals, implantations, and more, which you simply cannot delay. In that case, you may need a plan that does not require a waiting period if you have a dental emergency. Fortunately, not all dental insurance plans impose waiting periods. In this article, I will mention the best Dental insurance plans with no waiting period for root canals.
What Is A Dental Insurance Waiting Period?
Dental insurance waiting periods are the time between enrolling and getting your benefits. There can be huge differences between policies when it comes to waiting periods. It’s best to buy insurance before you need it, not after you get hurt. There are a few things that might affect how long your waiting period is:
- There is usually no waiting period associated with Dental Health Maintenance Organizations (DHMOs), while Dental Preferred Provider Organizations (DPPOs) usually have waiting periods.
- There can be considerable variation between insurance providers in terms of their policies.
- Some dental insurance companies will not pay for any work that is performed during the waiting period. However, most dental insurance companies will still cover preventative care.
Why Do Some Dental Insurance Plans Have Waiting Periods?
Dental insurance waiting periods have both disadvantages and advantages depending on the patient’s situation and financial condition. It’s common for insurance companies to have waiting periods to make sure you don’t sign up just for a discount and then cancel it once the problem is fixed. There’s nothing wrong with dental insurance waiting periods. Rather it brings blessings in some cases. In this way, you and the insurance company can accurately forecast the costs of procedures. Many patients initiate expensive procedures and then halt their coverage shortly thereafter. That is why insurance companies face hard times succeeding and providing coverage if this happens.
It could cost you a lot if you go to the dentist before your waiting period is over. Hence, you can avoid this situation by looking for dental insurance without a waiting period. Depending on your dental insurance plan, some procedures won’t have a waiting period, while others will. You might have trouble finding dental insurance that covers dentures without a waiting period. In contrast, preventative care like x-rays, topical fluoride, and periodontal evaluations don’t have a waiting period.
Which Dental Services Have Waiting Periods?
There are several factors to consider. Most of the ones we have listed have at least one policy that covers everything without a waiting period. It is important to note that, even with these policies, the coverage increases the longer you subscribe, usually over three years.
If you search for dental insurance policies without a waiting period, you’ll find most offer coverage for cleanings and exams but not fillings, crowns, or braces. Generally speaking, dental insurance categorizes services into three categories: Preventive, Basic, and Major. Those different categories are as follows:
Preventive
A routine dental cleaning, X-ray, exam, fluoride treatment, and sealant fall under this category. There is usually no waiting period for preventive care under dental insurance policies.
Basic
Fillings, simple extractions, scaling and root planning, etc., are among the dental treatments that dentists perform in-house. There is usually a three to six-month waiting period for this care category.
Major
There are several complex treatments in this category, such as bridges, crowns, dentures, implants, and orthodontics.
In most cases, dental insurance companies will not waive the waiting period if the new subscriber’s new policy is not similar to the old policy. For more information on how you can take advantage of this waiver if your policy has it, talk to the plan administrator or company representative.
Best Dental Insurance Plans With No Waiting Period
You can choose from a wide network of dentists with the best dental plans with no waiting period. Here are seven policies I found with reasonable premiums and great benefits that you can start using straight away.
Humana
Several of Humana’s dental plans do not have waiting periods, and the options and benefits available are among the best. In the first year, you’ll have to pay 80% for major procedures like root canals, but by the third year, it will be 50%. Neither of these PPO plans covers orthodontics.
There are more than 160,000 participating dental care centers where you can get discounts ranging from 20% to 40%. Some more expensive dental insurance plans offer coinsurance for orthodontics, so this is a better deal than coinsurance for orthodontics. Humana has 3 types of policies and is available across 49 states.
UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthcare is a good option if you don’t want to wait six months to a year for the policy to take effect. It has a single policy almost in every state. The provider offers seven dental plans with no waiting period for preventive or basic services.
Many cover major services, but usually with a six-month wait. The only plan that covers orthodontics begins coverage 12 months after it is purchased.
Spirit Dental
The best about Spirit Dental is that it has insurance facilities throughout the whole country. It offers preventive, basic, and major dental plans without waiting periods. It also covers any dentist you like, so you can use whomever you want. Because of this, you don’t have to worry about networks. Additionally, you can save money on orthodontics if you have a family because some plans cover them. But, in comparison to other dental insurers, the monthly premiums are high.
Ameritas
Ameritas also has the policy across the states. There are no waiting periods for orthodontics with Ameritas. Here the coinsurance rates start at 85% but drop to 50% after a year, making them the most affordable for orthodontics.
It’s completely covered for preventive care, but you can only get two exams and cleanings a year. In the first year, basic services have a 35% coinsurance rate, but major services have an 80% coinsurance rate in the first year and a 50% rate after that.
MetLife
This giant company has 2 policies in its dental insurance facility. Through the Veterans Affairs Dental Insurance Program (VADIP), MetLife waives waiting periods on most of its policies for retired service members. A single veteran will pay between $28.89 and $33.80 a month under the standard plan. The high plan costs between $61.14 and $71.53 a month for a single veteran.
Denali Dental
As a result of its comprehensive preventive care coverage, Denali Dental is the best in our review of preventive care insurers. The policy allows you to have your teeth cleaned up to four times per calendar year.
It is important to note that each plan has a lifetime deductible between $100 and $200, unlike other insurers that reset their deductibles each year. As you stay with Denali Dental, your coinsurance payments decrease and your maximums increase, with full benefits available in the fourth year. Denali Dental is available across 34 states.
How To Choose The Best Dental Insurance With No Waiting Period?
Keeping your teeth and mouth healthy is the primary function of a dental plan. It can also help prevent conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and other health problems caused by periodontal disease. Getting your teeth cleaned can even boost your self-esteem.
In case you or someone in your family has had dental issues in the past, check your insurance policy’s Plan Summary. It’s worth looking at the dental procedures covered even if you don’t have a specific concern. It’s better if the list is long-you might not recognize them all. Don’t forget to look into dental insurance plans that cover orthodontics if you have kids. In the long run, it will likely be more expensive if you opt for a less expensive plan due to the lower premiums and skip needed dental treatments due to out-of-pocket expenses. It is also possible that you will experience more toothaches. When selecting a dental plan, keep the following factors in mind:
- Deductibles: You have to pay this before insurance starts covering treatment (although many plans waive it for routine preventive care). The cost is usually around $50 for an individual or $150 for a family, but some plans charge more. Other plans don’t have deductibles.
- Coinsurance and copays: Your coinsurance is the percentage you pay after you meet your deductible at the dentist’s office. It’s also possible to pay a copay, which varies by treatment.
- Annual maximums: The total amount you’ll get each year from your insurance. Anything over that amount is your responsibility.
- In-network vs. out-of-network: In-network providers save you the most; out-of-network providers’ benefits tend to be lower.
- Waiting Period Waiver: For the Basic and Major care categories, some companies waive the waiting period if the insured show’s coverage for 12 months before enrolling. You will often see this clause in the fine print below the summary of benefits.
How To Buy Dental Insurance With No Waiting Period?
Before looking for dental insurance that does not have a waiting period, you should first determine what services you need immediately and how much they will cost. You can obtain full-coverage dental coverage without a waiting period, but most DHMO plans do not impose a waiting period. You may not find no-waiting period dental insurance plans to be worth the additional premium cost, depending on the costs of the services that you require.
Who Can Buy Dental Insurance With No Waiting Period?
Anyone can qualify for many of the policies in this category. But, depending on your employer, there might be a waiting period. Some policies exclude pre-existing conditions.
Is It Possible To Visit The Dentist During My Waiting Period?
Although you can visit the dentist at any time, if you do so during your waiting period, you may have to pay a fee. There is no waiting period for many preventive dental procedures, even if your policy has a waiting period. However, if you require a dental procedure not covered by your insurance, you will be responsible for paying the entire cost.
How Much Does Dental Insurance With No Waiting Period Cost?
Depending on coverage, limits, and deductibles, dental insurance plans without waiting periods range from $7 to around $100 per month. It is important to bear in mind that if you choose a plan without a deductible, you will have to pay higher monthly premiums or more coinsurance for the first few years.