Dental insurance is available as a standalone policy. Depending on your dental plan, you may have deductibles, coinsurance, copayment, and provider network restrictions. Your dental insurance policy’s benefits, limitations, and exclusions details should clearly specify your out-of-pocket costs and what procedures and services are covered.

There are 3 different types of dental insurance:

• Preferred Provider Organization or PPO dental plans offer a network of preferred providers that lower your out-of-pocket costs. These plans usually have a deductible, an annual maximum benefit, and require you to pay a percentage of the dental services, known as coinsurance.
• DMO dental plans require you to choose a dentist within your plan’s network and pay a flat copay for your basic dental services.
• Indemnity dental plans, also known as fee-for-service plans, allow you to see any dentist and reimburse you for the covered dental services in your dental policy. Like PPO plans, these plans usually have a deductible, coinsurance, an annual maximum benefit and allow you to see any dentist of your choice.

Dental insurance coverage varies from policy to policy. In general, most dental plans cover 100% of preventive care services (cleanings and routine exams), 80% of basic procedures (root canals and fillings), and 50% of major procedures (implants and crowns).

Dental insurance works like health insurance. You pay a monthly premium, and there’s a deductible and co-pay. After you’ve met your deductible, the insurance company will pay up to a certain amount while you will be responsible for the remaining coinsurance. Certain preventive services, such as a yearly cleaning, are typically provided at no additional cost. There are different kinds of dental insurance plans including: dental HMO, dental PPO, and dental indemnity plans. On most dental insurance plans there is a maximum expense amount which will be covered which typically ranges from $1000-2000.

Dental discount plans are different from dental insurance plans. With a dental discount plan, you pay a yearly fee typically around $100-150, and there are no deductible or co-pays involved. Instead you receive a discounted price for dental services, which can range 10-60% from the regular price.

Here are 3 reasons to enroll in dental insurance:

• Dental insurance can prevent serious dental problems. You can catch problems early on before they require extensive, costly procedures. Diagnostic and preventive dental services are usually affordable and often completely covered by your dental plan.
• Dental insurance can lower your out-of-pocket costs. Dental care services can be expensive - especially without insurance. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, dental service costs increased by 90% over the past decade. A dental insurance plan helps cover part of that cost.
• Dental insurance can improve your overall health. Dental infections are known to cause or complicate existing conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. Taking care of your oral health can improve your overall health.

While the Affordable Care Act’s Health Insurance Marketplace offers dental coverage plans, they can only be purchased along with your health insurance plan during the yearly open enrollment period.

You can apply for an individual dental insurance plan outside of the open enrollment period through dental insurance carries. Or you can easily find, compare and purchase dental plans through sites like AgileHealthInsurance.

Yes, you can get dental insurance any time. There is no open enrollment period like there is for health insurance, so you can enroll in dental insurance any time of the year. Coverage typically starts within days of submitting your application.

Note: There may be a waiting period for major services, so it’s smart to review the dental plan policy to confirm the waiting and coverage periods.

You cannot add dental coverage via the ACA marketplace after open enrollment.

Instead, you’d have to wait until the following year’s open enrollment period to find a dental plan. The good news is you enroll to get dental insurance online year-round through dental insurance carriers and websites like AgileHealthInsurance.

Yes. You don’t need a job to have dental insurance. Not all employers offer dental insurance, but you can easily enroll to an individual dental insurance plan for yourself.

College students can also find good dental insurance plans as temporary solutions to keep their oral hygiene in check. If you’re a college student shopping for a dental insurance plan, check to make sure your individual plan meets your school’s insurance requirements. You should also ensure you can use your dental plan in the state where your school is located and your home state - to cover you during school breaks.

You can find and compare dental insurance plans through AgileHealthInsurance.com. You can also get dental insurance plans through the Health Insurance Marketplace, but they must be purchased along with your health plan during the yearly open enrollment period.