Before diving into how to get dental insurance, it’s important to understand which kind of dental insurance will work best for your unique situation. At Aflac, we offer primary dental insurance and supplemental dental insurance that can help cover procedures and give you peace of mind. Let’s dive deeper into how dental insurance works and what plans are available so you can make an informed decision on the type of plan and coverage amount you need.
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Dental insurance is a plan designed to help prevent and care for your teeth and gum issues.1 Usually, you pay a monthly premium to keep the dental insurance policy active.1 In some cases, you may need to pay a deductible – or minimum amount of money toward your dental work before benefits kick in.2
In other cases, there may be a cap on the amount of coverage you can receive for dental services.1 You may also face waiting periods for specific treatments before you can receive benefits.
At Aflac, we provide a variety of dental insurance plans. Depending on the plans selected, coverage can help policyholders with:
Aflac dental insurance also offers hearing and vision coverage options that can be added.
Don’t wait until it’s too late. Help cover yourself and your family with coverage from Aflac.
Get StartedNow, we’ll break down what may be required when applying for dental insurance:
First, we recommend considering which dental treatments and procedures you may need in the future. Next, you’ll want to consider if you need to provide coverage for dependents. If you need dental coverage for your children and spouse, it may be a good idea to get dental insurance that includes family coverage.
You may be able to get dental coverage for your spouse or dependents through Aflac's dental insurance plan. Chatting with an agent can help you clarify how much coverage you may need.
With some dental insurance plans, only certain dentists are considered "in-network," and you'll want to ensure you select a dentist within that network to help bring the costs of treatments down.1 There are a few kinds of dental insurance you’ll want to understand before choosing a plan.
PPO stands for preferred provider organization and facilitates a relationship between dental providers and insurance companies. If you choose an in-network provider, you can receive dental services at a reduced cost. You can still get some coverage with out-of-network dentists, but you may not get the same benefits. Our dental plan is considered a passive PPO, so you can see providers in and out-of-network without the same penalties typically found in active PPOs.
HMO stands for health maintenance organization and is like a PPO dental plan, but the policyholder can only get services from in-network providers and must be referred by a primary care physician. Due to less accessibility to outside dentists, these insurance plans are usually less expensive.2 You can’t see an out-of-network provider, even if you are willing to pay out-of-network fees.2
If you decide to shop for dental insurance, there are many companies and plans to consider. We recommend exploring all your options before making a choice so that you can get an affordable dental insurance plan that works for you.
The best dental insurance plan is one that helps offer coverage suited for your needs at a price you can afford. If you currently have a preferred dentist, make sure they’re in your plan’s provider network before making a decision.
Keep in mind that the best plan for you may not necessarily have the lowest premiums, but will cover the treatments you may need. For instance, if you think you’ll need more complex dental treatments, a plan with higher premiums and a lower deductible may work best. But if you have good oral health and will mainly only need preventive care, then it may be smart to choose a plan with a higher deductible and lower premium.
We believe dental insurance is worth it because taking care of your oral health early on may prevent the need for serious dental treatments and procedures later. At Aflac, we offer full coverage dental insurance with affordable premiums to help lower costs for a wide range of services. You can also add on our supplemental dental insurance plan if your primary dental plan doesn’t quite meet your coverage goals. Start chatting with an agent today to learn more.
Get StartedHaving some type of cost-efficient dental plan, like the ones offered at Aflac, can help you avoid the high fees that may come from buying dental care without insurance.
Wondering if dental insurance is worth it? Learn about how dental insurance works, coverage options, and how to get the right plan for you.
1 Investopedia - How Does Dental Insurance Work. Updated December 15, 2023. Accessed January 23, 2025. https://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/111715/how-does-dental-insurance-work.asp.
2 Investopedia - Health Maintenance Organization (HMO). Updated September 29, 2024. Accessed January 23, 2025. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/h/hmo.asp.
Content within this article is provided for general informational purposes and is not provided as tax, legal, health, or financial advice for any person or for any specific situation. Employers, employees, and other individuals should contact their own advisers about their situations. For complete details, including availability and costs of Aflac insurance, please contact your local Aflac agent.
Aflac coverage is underwritten by American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus. In New York, Aflac coverage is underwritten by American Family Life Assurance Company of New York.
Dental: In Delaware, Policies A82100R–A82400R. In Idaho, Policies A82100RID–A82400RID. In Oklahoma, Policies A82100ROK–A82400ROK. In Virginia, A82100RVA–A82400RVA.
Dental, Vision, and Hearing coverage is underwritten by Tier One Insurance Company. Tier One Insurance Company is part of the Aflac family of insurers. In California, Tier One Insurance Company does business as Tier One Life Insurance Company (NAIC 92908).
Dental, Vision and Hearing: In Delaware, Policy T80000. In Idaho, Policy T80000ID. In Oklahoma, Policy T80000OK. Dental claims are administered by SKYGEN USA, LLC. Vision claims are administered by EyeMed Vision Care, LLC. Hearing claims are administered by Nations Hearing. NOTICE: The coverage offered is not a qualified health plan (QHP) under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) and is not required to satisfy essential health benefits mandates of the ACA. The coverage provides limited benefits.
Coverage may not be available in all states, including but not limited to NJ, NM, NY, VA or VT. Benefits/premium rates may vary based on state and plan levels. Optional riders may be available at an additional cost. Policies and riders may also contain a waiting period. Refer to the exact policy and rider forms for benefit details, definitions, limitations and exclusions.
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