Dental Insurance

Dental insurance helps pay for regular checkups, cleanings, and bigger procedures like fillings, crowns, or root canals — things that can get expensive fast if you’re paying for them yourself. Many standalone dental plans come with waiting periods before they cover bigger procedures, a yearly cap on how much they’ll pay, and a list of dentists you have to stick to, so it’s worth reading the details before you sign up.

If you get insurance through work, it’s also worth comparing that plan against an individual one from the marketplace, since the cost and coverage can be very different. Preventive care, like cleanings and checkups, is usually covered at little or no cost, so it’s worth using even on a basic plan.

A lot of people don’t realize their plan has a yearly coverage cap until they need a bigger procedure — always check that number before something comes up.

Below are our guides comparing dental insurance costs and coverage across different states and providers.