Dental insurance runs about $17–$96/month and follows a 100-80-50 structure: preventive care (cleanings) is usually 100% covered, basic work (fillings) ~80%, and major work (crowns) ~50%, up to an annual max of around $1,000–$2,000. Delta Dental is great for braces, Spirit Dental for value (from $20), and Ameritas for skipping waiting periods.
Best dental insurers
| Company | Best for | From / month |
|---|---|---|
| Denali Dental | Overall (high annual max) | ~$67 |
| Delta Dental | Braces | ~$48 |
| Spirit Dental | Value | from $20 |
| Ameritas | No waiting periods | ~$54 |
| Guardian | Teeth whitening | from $46 |
Source: Money, 2026. Premiums range roughly $17–$96/month by plan, coverage level and state.
Also worth a quote from the big national names: Cigna, Humana and UnitedHealthcare all sell widely available standalone dental plans, and Physicians Mutual is popular with seniors for its no-annual-max option. Prices and networks shift by state, so compare two or three for your ZIP code.
How dental coverage works
Most plans split care three ways — preventive (cleanings, exams, X-rays) usually at 100% with no waiting, basic (fillings) around 80%, and major (crowns, implants) around 50%. Two numbers decide whether a plan is worth it: the annual maximum (often just $1,000–$2,000) and the waiting periods — basic work typically waits 3–6 months and major work 12–24 months.
Insurance vs discount plan vs just paying cash
Dental insurance isn’t your only option, and sometimes it’s not the best one:
Dental insurance
- Best when you want cleanings covered and might need fillings
- Capped by a low annual max
- Waiting periods on bigger work
Dental discount plan
- Not insurance — a membership that cuts the price at participating dentists
- No annual max, no waiting periods
- You still pay (a reduced) cash price
If you only ever get cleanings, doing the math on paying cash is fair too — two cleanings a year can cost less than 12 months of premiums. The trick is honesty about how much dental work you actually get.
How to choose
Just cleanings & checkups
- A low-cost plan like Spirit Dental (from $20) usually pays for itself
- Preventive is covered 100% with no wait
- Don’t over-pay for coverage you won’t use
Big work coming
- Check the annual max (higher is better — Denali up to $6,000)
- Mind the 12-month wait on major work
- Ameritas for no waiting periods; Delta for braces
Real examples
If you just want two cleanings a year: a $20 plan like Spirit Dental covers preventive care at 100% with no waiting, so it pays for itself almost immediately. Don’t buy a pricier plan for coverage you won’t touch.
If you know a crown is coming next year: buy now, but read the waiting period — major work often isn’t covered for 12 months, and the annual max may only be $1,500. Sometimes an Ameritas no-wait plan or simply budgeting the cash cost comes out ahead.
If your teen needs braces: look specifically for orthodontic coverage (Delta Dental is strong here) and check the lifetime orthodontic max — it’s a separate limit from the regular annual max, and it’s easy to miss.
The bottom line
Match the plan to the dental work you actually expect. For routine care, a cheap plan like Spirit Dental wins. For crowns, implants or braces, prioritize a higher annual max and shorter waiting periods (Ameritas, Delta) even if the premium is higher.
Dental insurance is one of the few policies where I tell people to do the math coldly, because it often barely breaks even. If you just need cleanings and the odd filling, a cheap plan like Spirit Dental (from $20) usually pays for itself and then some.
But if you know big work is coming — a crown, implants — read the fine print first: the annual max is often just $1,000–$1,500, and major work has a 12-month waiting period, so a plan bought today may not cover that crown until next year. If that’s your situation, Ameritas’s no-waiting option, a higher annual max, or even a discount plan earns a look. Match the plan to the work you expect, not to the lowest price.
FAQs
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Sources: Money (2026 dental insurance plan analysis); ADA MouthHealthy; National Association of Dental Plans.