Dental insurance that covers braces with no waiting period

Best Dental Insurance With No Waiting Period

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Ameritas

Top scoring plan

Waiting periods for preventive, basic and major care

Dental network size

130,000 providers and 93,000 locations

Top scoring plan

Waiting periods for preventive, basic and major care

Dental network size

130,000 providers and 93,000 locations

Why We Picked It

PrimeStar Total offers no waiting periods for preventive, basic and major care, as well as dentures and dental implants. The Ameritas PrimeStar Total plan offers basic care at a higher reimbursement than other dental plans. The plan is a DPPO, which means you can get care outside of the provider network, which gives you more flexibility.

Pros & Cons

• Basic care is reimbursed by 80% in the first year and then increases to 90% in the second year, which is more generous to many dental plans.
• The PrimeStar Total plan is a dental preferred provider organization (DPPO), so you can get care within or outside of the Ameritas Classic PPO provider network. But if you get out-of-network care, you’ll likely pay more for care.
• No waiting period for preventive, basic major care, or for dentures and dental implants.
• Plan’s $2,000 per person maximum benefit in the first year increases to $2,500 for basic and major services combined after the first year.

• Plan pays only 20% for major care in the first year before, which increases to 50% in the second year. Other plans offer 50% reimbursement from the start.
• Orthodontia is not covered.
• Teeth whitening isn’t covered

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Spirit Dental

Top scoring plan

Waiting periods for preventive, basic and major care

Dental network size

More than 111,000 providers

Top scoring plan

Waiting periods for preventive, basic and major care

Dental network size

More than 111,000 providers

Why We Picked It

Spirit Dental’s Pinnacle Network plan has no waiting period for preventive, basic or major care. The dental plan also has a high $5,000 annual maximum, which is easily the most generous of dental insurance plans we reviewed.

Pros & Cons

• $5,000 annual maximum will go a long way to help pay for major dental care.
• $100 lifetime deductible means you don’t have to worry about an annual deductible each year.
• Covers implants and dentures and orthodontic care for dependent children under 19 with a $1,200 lifetime maximum per child.
• No waiting period for orthodontia, which is limited only to children.

• Basic care is reimbursed only 50% in the first year and then grows to 80% in the third year. Other dental plan options start at 80%.
• The Pinnacle Network plan pays 25% for major dental care in the first year, 30% in the second year and 50% after that, while other dental insurance companies offer 50% reimbursement in the first year.
• The plan reimburses at 25% for implants and dentures in the first year before growing up to 50% in the third year. Some dental plans start at 50%, but those also have lower annual maximums.

Summary: Best Dental Insurance With No Waiting Period Ratings

Monthly costs are based on a 30-year-old female in California. Costs are for comparison only among plans; your own cost will likely be different.

Related: Best Dental Insurance Companies

What Does a Waiting Period Mean for Dental Insurance?

Dental insurance waiting periods are defined periods when you must wait for certain services after buying a dental insurance policy. Once the waiting period expires, you’re eligible for coverage for those dental services at the reimbursement amount specified in the dental insurance plan.

Waiting periods can apply to different categories of dental insurance treatment, including:

• Preventive care: Most dental insurance plans don’t use a waiting period for preventive treatment. That means your plan should fully cover things like checkups, X-rays, cleanings and other preventive services without delay.
• Basic care: Some dental insurance plans have waiting periods for basic dental services, including restorations (fillings), space maintainers and non-surgical tooth extractions.
• Major dental care: More costly procedures like crowns, complex extractions and oral surgery may require a waiting period, such as six months or 12 months.
• Other dental work: Dentures, implants, braces and teeth whitening can have their own waiting periods, if the dental plan covers them.

How Long Is a Dental Insurance Waiting Period?

If a dental insurance plan has waiting periods, you may face one that’s three months to 12 months for basic dental services and six months to 12 months for major dental care.

Here are examples of waiting periods for multiple dental insurance policies.

Why do Some Dental Insurance Plans Have Waiting Periods?

Dental insurance companies implement waiting periods to save money and not have a new member quickly rack up expensive dental costs.

Waiting periods are intended to discourage patients from getting expensive dental treatments and discontinuing dental insurance a short time later. Dropping coverage abruptly in this manner can lead to higher dental insurance premiums for all policyholders.

Insurance companies also usually don’t have waiting periods for preventive services in hopes that members take precautionary care, which may limit more costly major dental work later.

Are Dental Insurance Plans with No Waiting Periods More Expensive?

Dental insurance companies base rates on multiple factors, including the breadth of coverage. That coverage includes waiting periods for different types of coverage.

You want to weigh possible waiting periods with other dental insurance plan characteristics, including:

• Premiums
• Deductible
• Annual and lifetime maximums paid by the insurance company
• Provider network
• Type of plan
• Percentage paid by the insurance company
• Additional coverage, such as orthodontia, teeth whitening, dentures and dental implants

Are There Downsides to Dental Insurance with No Waiting Periods?

While it may seem preferable to choose a dental insurance plan that has no waiting periods, there can be trade-offs to opting for this type of plan.

For example, the insurance company may charge higher rates of coinsurance (your out-of-pocket costs after your deductible is paid) for various services. The insurer may institute graduated dental benefits, too, such as only covering basic treatment up to 25% in the first 12 months versus 50% in year number two.

Read the policy to make sure you understand the benefits and limitations.

How Do You Get Around a Waiting Period for Dental Insurance?

You may not be subject to a waiting period if certain conditions apply. The insurer may waive your waiting period if you switch dental insurance plans but stay with the same company or switch companies without a lapse in your dental insurance coverage.

Methodology

To find the best dental insurance with no waiting periods we identified the best dental insurance plans based on the metrics below and then selected only the plans with no waiting periods. We scored 30 stand-alone dental plans. Benefit details can vary by state, so check the plan brochure for details. Star ratings are based on the following criteria:

• Cost. We compared costs for a 30-year-old female in California. When California wasn’t available we used Texas: 30% of score.
• Annual maximum insurance payout: 10% of score.
• No waiting period for preventive care: 10% of score.
• Basic care payout level: 10% of score.
• Basic care waiting period: 10% of score.
• Major care coverage in the first year: 10% of score.
• Coverage for implants: 10% of score.
• Coverage for orthodontia: 10% of score.

Information provided on Forbes Advisor is for educational purposes only. Your financial situation is unique and the products and services we review may not be right for your circumstances. We do not offer financial advice, advisory or brokerage services, nor do we recommend or advise individuals or to buy or sell particular stocks or securities. Performance information may have changed since the time of publication. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Forbes Advisor adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. To the best of our knowledge, all content is accurate as of the date posted, though offers contained herein may no longer be available. The opinions expressed are the author’s alone and have not been provided, approved, or otherwise endorsed by our partners.

Les is an insurance analyst at Forbes Advisor. He has been a journalist, reporter, editor and content creator for more than 25 years. He has covered insurance for a decade, including auto, home, life and health. Besides covering insurance, Les was a news editor and reporter for Patch and Community Newspaper Company and also covered health care, mortgages, credit cards and personal loans for multiple websites.

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