What Dental Insurance Has No Waiting Period

Does Aetna Dental Insurance Have A Waiting Period

Dental insurance is supposed to provide peace of mind. But will it be there when you need it? Most Aetna dental insurance policies have waiting periods before different levels of coverage will begin. Just because you have dental insurance doesnt necessarily mean any care you need today is covered.

Heres a closer look Aetna dental insurance waiting periods, how they might affect your coverage and what options are available if you need help fast:

Dental Insurance With No Waiting Period Guide: What Top Companies Offer

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This is part two of a two part series. Read part one: Dental Insurance with No Waiting Period: What You Need to Know.

You’re looking for dental insurance with no waiting period because you need a dental procedure now or you want to be sure you have coverage for the care you need as you start making premium payments. Remember that premiums will be higher on these plans than plans with waiting periods you’re paying extra to have immediate coverage. Even with the surcharge for immediate coverage, your plan may exclude coverage for pre-existing conditions.

However, if you’ve had dental insurance before, check to see if waiting periods on other plans can be waived for you. You may be able to save money on premiums and not deal with waiting periods.

Below you’ll find a summary of what no waiting period policies top-ranked dental insurance companies offer:

Note: The Ranking, Overall Score, and User Star Rating for the following companies is from April 28, 2020.

What Is A Dental Insurance Waiting Period

Simply put, a dental insurance waiting period is the period of time between when you enroll for a plan and when you can start receiving benefits. Waiting periods can vary greatly from policy to policy.

The following factors might determine the length of your waiting period:

• The type of dental insurance you purchase many Dental Health Maintenance Organization plans dont involve any waiting periods, while Dental Preferred Provider Organization plans usually do.

• Your insurance provider policies can vary a great deal from provider to provider.

• Type of dental service Some dental insurance companies will not pay for any work done during the waiting period, but most dental insurance companies will still cover preventive services.

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Types Of Dental Insurance Plans

The three types of dental plans on the market today are dental preferred provider organization plans, dental health maintenance organization plans and fee-for-service plans:

Dental preferred provider organization

DPPO plans have a wider network of dentists, and patients have more flexibility when choosing their doctors. You can see providers both in-network and out of network, but youll find the best rates within the dental provider network.

This flexibility comes with a higher price tag premiums for DPPO plans are more expensive and have higher out-of-pocket costs.

Dental health maintenance organization

A DHMO plan works within a dental provider network. Theres a fixed copayment for each visit, premiums are more affordable and there are no annual maximum limits.

Members of a DHMO plan have a smaller provider network to choose from, and theyll also need to select a primary care dentist from the plans network. Lastly, theres no out-of-network coverage, and seeing a specialist requires a referral.

Fee-for-service plans

Fee-for-service plans pay a flat rate for eligible services. This plan type allows greater flexibility because patients can visit the provider of their choice.

On the downside, out-of-pocket expenses are higher. Patients can either make a copayment at the dentists office or pay upfront and then file a claim for reimbursement with their insurance provider.

Dental discount plans

No Waiting Dental Insurance Gets You Into The Dentist

And Spirit Dental gets you in faster. You can have next-day coverage on a cleaning & exam, filling, crown, implants, or braces.

Spirit Dental also makes it easy to see your dentist. With one of the top networks in the country, you’ll have no problem finding a dentist close by. You’ll also receive an avg of 32% in-network savings per procedure. And with our Choice plans, you can see any dentist and still receive the same great benefits Spirit Dental offers. Additional plan benefits:

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How To Get Dental Insurance

Most people have access to dental insurance through their employer. However, those who are uninsured or underinsured like Medicare beneficiaries need to purchase a standalone policy.

Our guide on how to get dental insurance with Medicare can help you with this process.

You can also purchase a standalone policy directly with the insurance company or through a marketplace. Dental plans sold on Healthcare.gov have to meet the criteria set by the Affordable Care Act, which include offering coverage for pediatric dentistry, emergency services and prescription drugs.

Follow these guidelines to pick the right dental insurance provider:

Identify your dental needs.

A young adult with healthy teeth has very different dental care needs than a child with malocclusion or an elderly adult with tooth decay or gum disease. We recommend writing down the dental care needs of you and your family to make it easier to find providers that cover these procedures.

A general rule of thumb is to look for plans that cover 100/80/50: 100% preventive coverage, 80% basic work and 50% major work. However, its important to see whats included in each percentage. A policy covering 50% of major work but excluding implants may be useless if your main concern is missing teeth.

Review the different types of dental plans

We go over common dental plans in our types of dental plans section. Revise each one to see which fits best in terms of coverage benefits, plan options and cost.

Compare cost vs value

Summary Of Dental Plans With No Waiting Period

Thankfully, there are many possibilities if you are looking for dental insurance plans with no waiting period. In fact, most plans have no waiting period for preventive services, and there are even some plans that don’t have a waiting period for major restorative services.

Other plans will waive waiting periods on major services if you’ve had dental insurance with a different provider for at least 12 consecutive months before switching over.

Have a look at the table below for a summary of the best dental insurance plans with no waiting period:

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What Is Preventive Care

Preventive dental care is any type of dental care that cleans your teeth and helps you avoid any more serious dental problems later. This usually includes:

• Dental cleanings

• Exams

• X-rays

Most of the time, youll start receiving benefits for these sorts of services immediately when your policy becomes effective. This is great because most dental insurance also covers preventative services at 80% to 100%.

If its been over a year since youve been to the dentist and you dont have dental insurance already, purchasing some can pay off just with regular preventive dental visits alone.

What Are Waiting Periods

A dental insurance waiting period is the length of time that you must wait after purchasing your new health insurance plan, before you can use your dental benefits. You will find that they do exist on most policies.

During the waiting period, the insurance provider will not allow you to use any of your rebates that is, they will not pay any of your benefits towards certain procedures.

Many factors come into exactly how long your waiting period lasts, including the type of plan you have purchased and its fine print , but in general, waiting periods tend to last for

• General dental Waiting periods can be relinquished altogether , meaning you can use your dental insurance straight away. In other cases, they may last as little as two months.
• Major dental Waiting periods generally vary anywhere from 6 to 12 months depending on your funds policies and the complexity of the procedure.

After the waiting period is over, you can utilise the funds benefits limit in full.

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What Other Restrictions Does Dental Insurance Have

Aside from waiting periods, dental insurance policies often limit coverage for pre-existing conditions. For example, most policies have a missing tooth clause which prohibits coverage treatment for any teeth which were missing before you purchased the plan. Dentures, bridges, implants and many other services are likely not covered for teeth you lost prior to purchasing the policy.

However, some dental work which normally isnt covered can be if it falls under an Extension of Benefits provision. Some dental procedures require several sessions to complete. If a procedure was started while you had one dental policy, but you then purchased a new policy before the procedure was finished, your new company might have to cover the rest of the work.

Common, multi-stage procedures Aetna covers under the extension of benefits provision include:

• Crowns and fixed bridgework
• Root canal

Best Preventive Care: Denali Dental

Denali Dental

• Coverage Limit: $750 to $6,000
• States Available: 34

Denali Dental is best for preventive care of all the insurers in our review because the company covers more preventive care services than any other provider, which means you can get your teeth cleaned up to four times per calendar year from one policy.

• Four cleanings and two exams included annually

• Low lifetime deductible

• Up to $6,000 annual maximum

• Orthodontics not covered on lower-cost Ridge plans

If you like to stay on top of preventive care for your teeth, Denali Dental offers no-wait plans that include four cleanings per year, more than any other provider. The two plansnamed Ridge and Summitare priced by geographic area and can be more or less expensive depending on where you live. You can get a quote on Denali Dental’s website.

While monthly premiums may be high, Denali Dentals loyalty incentives might make the cost worth it for anyone who intends to stay with the same provider for several years.

The Ridge and Summit plans cover 100% of preventive services, so your four annual cleanings will be completely free of charge.

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What Is A Dental Plan Waiting Period

A dental plan waiting period is a certain amount of time you must wait before you can receive coverage for some or all of the care your new plan covers. Waiting period durations can be anywhere from 30 days to over a year, and each will vary according to your individual plan.

The waiting period will often be shorter for basic services , and longer for major services . Most plans have no waiting period for preventive care. This type of care includes services like routine cleanings, exams, X-rays and fluoride treatments.

The Best Dental Insurance Plans With No Waiting Period On The Marketplace

When shopping for dental insurance, youll come across plans that impose a waiting period that might last a month to a year or more. This means that certain levels of coverage, or perhaps even all coverage, wont kick in until after the waiting period is over. Sounds inconvenient and frustrating, doesnt it?The good news is there are dental insurance no waiting period options available.

So, if you want to rest assured that your policy will cover everything from preventive to major services from the day your plan becomes active, searching for full coverage dental insurance with no waiting period is the right way to go.To help you get started, weve compiled a list of some of the best dental insurance providers that offer plans without a waiting period.

Overview

Dental insurance with no waiting period: 6 options to consider

Spirit Dental

What is the best dental insurance with no waiting?

Cost

Are there ways to avoid a waiting period with dental insurance?

Shop now for dental insurance with no waiting period

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Dont Let Your Teeth Be Damaged By Energy Drinks

I was looking for a Delta Dental Premier plan like I used to have at work and found one so I could keep using the same dentist that Ive seen for years.

I needed dental and vision combo and signed up for Delta Dental with VSP vision. Easy steps to sign up and got my confirmation email immediately.

Sarah A.

Needed dental implants and found out they are expensive. I found a plan with Renaissance Dental to help offset my costs to get implants.

Alex B.

I called and spoke with EasyDental and the rep helped direct me to the best plan for me. Very nice to work with and got a plan with Delta Premier.

Lauren C.

I needed a new dental plan. This website made it simple to sign up for a Delta plan like I used to have at work.

Preston R.

I wanted a plan with no waiting periods and found one with Renaissance Dental to help pay for my root canal and other major work.

Kristi A.

I dont understand insurance very well, but their customer service helped explain the plans and I got one with Delta Dental that includes my dentist.

Jennifer S.

What To Consider When Choosing Dental Insurance

Waiting periods are just one thing seniors should think about before choosing a dental insurance provider. Individual providers can set their own rules about the types of care they cover, the copays and deductibles they apply and which dental surgeries are in their network. The best dental insurance providers give customers flexibility when it comes to choosing their dentists and provide cover for preventative care and basic dental work as well as dentures, implants and other more major care.

Before choosing a provider, read the terms carefully. Make sure it works with the dentist you like and that its flexible when it comes to emergency dental care. Some providers refuse to cover care at an out-of-network dental surgery, even in an emergency.

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Are Some Benefits More Likely To Have Waiting Periods

Yes. While waiting periods are not standardized in the dental insurance industry, expensive dental procedures such as crowns, root canals, dentures, implants, or orthodontic work are more likely to have a waiting period than a less expensive procedure such as a filling or preventive care such as cleaning or x-ray. Preventive care, however, may have an annual limit of two cleanings that must be spaced at least 6-months apart.

Aflac Dental Insurance Plans With Little To No Waiting Period

At Aflac, well work with you so you can get the treatments you need on a timeline that works. Our network dental insurance and employer-provided dental insurance have no waiting period for any services for most plans and our supplemental dental insurance has little to no waiting period, depending on the treatments you are seeking.

Our dental plans are affordable and thorough. We recommend you chat with an agent about your oral hygiene and coverage goals to see what makes the most sense.

Still have questions?

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How Dental Insurance Waiting Periods Work

Depending on the insurance plan, dental policies may require that you have your policy for up to a year for major dental work before its covered. If you receive major dental work before the completion of the waiting period, you will be responsible for the entire bill.

One important point to note: if you had dental coverage prior to enrolling in a new plan, the waiting period might be waived. Check with your insurance company prior to any procedures so that you are aware of their waiting period policy.

Dental Plans Without Waiting Periods For Preventive Basic And Major Care

The below list includes dental plans in each state that do not have waiting periods for preventive, basic, and major dental care. Be certain to check the plan details page to make certain there have not been any plan updates that have changed their no waiting period status. You can also get price quotes for your age and zip code in a few clicks.

NOTE – Some of the below plans may not be available in all regions of the state for which it is listed.

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How To Choose The Best Dental Insurance For No Waiting Period

There are several other critical considerations that you should use to comparison shop dental insurance with no waiting period. Here are a few of the most essential ones:

• Coinsurance Amounts: This amount is what you pay after the deductible toward the treatment invoice.
• Coverage Annual Maximum: This amount is the most the policy will pay per subscriber in a given year.
• Deductible: This amount is what you pay before your dental insurance policy’s benefits and coverage apply. Sometimes the deductibles are satisfied annually some are lifetime deductibles.
• Exclusions: These are what the policy does not cover, an essential data point for policyholders.
• In-network vs. out-of-network: You save the most when you work with an in-network provider benefits often decrease out of network.
• Waiting Period Waiver: Some dental insurance companies will waive the waiting periods for the Basic and Major care categories if the insured can show dental insurance coverage for 12 months before enrolling in the new policy. You will often see this clause in the fine print below the summary of benefits.

Can My Dental Insurance Carrier Waive A Waiting Period

Insurance carriers and/or employers can waive your waiting period at any time, but that is at the carriers/employers discretion. Collect as much documentation as possible, contact the carrier or your employers insurance department and seek a waiver. Your dentist may even write a letter stating that your treatment is medically necessary and simply cannot wait.

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