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Even those with perfect oral care can experience unexpected toothaches and pains. The term “full coverage dental insurance” refers to the plan’s ability to help cover a variety of different dental treatments and procedures.
Full coverage dental insurance can help protect your wallet from unforeseen circumstances. Additionally, supplemental dental insurance can work with your primary plan to help with out-of-pocket expenses. However, dental insurance works differently than other insurance types – so it’s crucial to understand how it works.
The dental insurance waiting period is one of the most important terms to understand when searching for a plan. The length of the waiting period directly impacts how much money you will have to spend on treatments before coverage kick in.1
Dental insurance waiting periods range from year-long durations to no time at all.1 Finding little to no-wait dental insurance can help minimize the fees you may have to pay out of pocket.
It’s important to note that if you choose Aflac’s dental insurance, there may not be a waiting period for routine or preventative care. However, you may have to wait a few months for more invasive treatments and procedures. We recommend you speak to an insurance agent to clarify the terms in each plan.
Dental insurance waiting periods are not necessarily a bad thing. They can help forecast costs for you and the insurance company wisely. Sometimes patients undergo expensive procedures and halt coverage soon after.1 This may negatively impact the insurance company’s ability to be successful and the coverage they are able to provide.
You may face substantial costs if you visit the dentist before your waiting period is over. Searching for dental insurance without a waiting period or with a short waiting period can help prevent this situation from occurring.
It’s also important to note that some procedures within your dental insurance plan will have no waiting period, while other treatments do.1
There are a few factors to consider when searching for a dental insurance with no waiting period. We recommend you decide whether there are certain treatments that you’d be willing to wait for compared to treatments you'll need regularly.
For instance, it may be challenging to find dental insurance for specific services with no waiting period, but you may be able receive that treatment a couple of months down the road once benefits are available and the wait is over. While full coverage dental insurance with no waiting period is less common, you can still get some treatments without any wait and get basic treatments in 3-6 months, depending on your plan.1
In addition to understanding the waiting periods written in your plan, it may be helpful to research the annual maximum your insurance company is willing to pay for services and what the premium payments will look like. At Aflac, you can expect quality benefits at competitive rates. In fact, the longer you own an Aflac dental policy, the less you pay for out-of-pocket costs every year.
At Aflac, we’ll work with you to help you get the treatments you need on a timeline that works. Our network and employer-provided dental insurance have no waiting period for routine services and fair waits for more involved procedures.
In addition to manageable waiting periods, our dental coverage allows you the freedom to choose which dentist you work with at an affordable rate. Ask about the ability to add hearing and vision coverage to your plan to enhance your care.
1 The Balance - Dental Insurance Waiting Period. Updated Jan 10, 2022. Accessed February 8, 2024. https://www.thebalance.com/dental-insurance-waiting-period-2645722.
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, please contact your local Aflac agent.
Coverage is underwritten by American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus. In New York, coverage is underwritten by American Family Life Assurance Company of New York.
Arkansas, Policies A81100AR–A81400AR. Policies A82100RAR–A82400RAR. In Delaware, Policies A81100–A81400. Policies A82100R–A82400R. In Idaho, Policies A81100ID–A81400ID. Policies A82100RID–A82400RID. In New York, Policies NY81100–NY81400. Policies NY82100–NY82400. In Oklahoma, Policies A81100OK–A81400OK. Policies A82100ROK–A82400ROK. In Oregon, Policies A81100OR–A81400OR. Policies A82100ROR–A82400ROR. In Pennsylvania, Policies A81100PA–A81400PA. Policies A82100RPA–A82400RPAR. In Texas, Policies A81100TX–A81400TX. Policies A82100RTX–A82400RTX. In Virginia, Policies A81100VA–A81200VA. Policies A82100RVA–A82400RVA.
Coverage underwritten by Tier One Insurance Company:
Dental, Vision and Hearing: In Arkansas, Policy T80000AR. In Delaware, Policy T80000. In Idaho, Policy T80000ID. In Oklahoma, Policy T80000OK. In Oregon, Policy T80000OR. In Texas, Policy T80000TX. Not available NY or VA. Dental claims are administered by Aflac Benefits Solutions, Inc. 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. Tier One Insurance Company is part of the Aflac family of insurers.
Coverage may not be available in all states, including but not limited to DE, ID, NJ, NM, NY or VA. 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.
Aflac WWHQ | Tier One Insurance Company | 1932 Wynnton Road | Columbus, GA 31999
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