Explore Full-Coverage Dental Insurance
The Facts About Full-Coverage Dental Insurance
Full-coverage dental insurance plans, sometimes referred to as comprehensive dental plans, cover preventive dental care as well as basic and major dental services. Depending on the plan, comprehensive dental insurance may cover annual checkups and cleanings for you and your family along with other services such as crowns and root canals. However, comprehensive dental plans do not cover 100% of the costs, and there may still be a deductible, copays, and coinsurance.
The Main Types Of Full-Coverage Dental Insurance
Full-coverage dental insurance plans vary by what services and dental procedures are covered, the range of their network of providers, and their cost. Some low-cost dental plans only cover diagnostic and preventive services such as exams, cleanings, and x-rays. Other plans may also cover basic services such as fillings and simple extractions. Consider what type of dental insurance plan meets your coverage needs while also fitting your budget.
Preferred Provider Organization (PPO)
- PPO dental insurance provides a list of preferred dentists within the plan network.
- You have the option to go out of network for a favorite dentist. However, you will have higher out-of-pocket costs.
Dental Health Maintenance Organization (DHMO)
- DHMOs provide a select network of dentists that have agreed to set dental insurance rates, including copays, but you are limited to care from in-network dentists only.
- DHMOs have no annual maximum benefit or deductible and some procedures have zero out-of-pocket costs. Learn more about maximum benefits below.
Benefit Limits of Full-Coverage Dental Insurance
Most full-coverage dental insurance plans have an annual benefit limit. This is the maximum your plan will pay yearly for dental services. Once you've reached your annual limit, you'll be responsible for 100% of any additional dental services for the rest of the plan year. Some plans have higher maximums, so your out-of-pocket costs could be lower. But keep in mind, higher-maximum plans may also have higher monthly premiums.
Services And Treatments Covered By Full-Coverage Dental Insurance
While full-coverage plans vary, they usually cover more than just preventive care. Depending on your dental needs, you may consider full-coverage dental insurance plans that cover:
Preventive Care
Preventive care includes bi-annual cleanings, exams, and x-rays. Most full-coverage dental plans cover 100% of preventive care.
Basic Care
Basic care usually covers simple extractions and fillings, certain types of X-rays and other services like oral cancer testing.
Major Restorative Care
Major restorative care includes bridges, crowns, dentures, root canals, complex oral surgeries, and in some cases, implants.
Orthodontics
Some dental plans cover orthodontic treatments. Orthodontia coverage is usually limited to children and includes braces.
What Does Full-Coverage Dental Insurance Cost?
Depending on the state you live in and how much coverage you want included in your plan, rates will vary. To balance the best coverage with your budget, be sure to consider all the costs involved in your plan:
- Premium – what you pay monthly for your plan
- Deductible – what you pay out of pocket for care before the plan begins paying
- Copay – what you may pay with every visit to a dentist
- Coinsurance – the percentage of costs you may pay after you meet your deductible
- Annual maximum – the most your plan will pay for care in a plan year
We Can Help You Navigate Your Dental Insurance Options
Count on our experience and support to enroll in dental coverage. We can help you choose a dental insurance plan with Anthem and guide you through the process.
Find Full-Coverage Dental Insurance Plans
Explore different full-coverage dental plans to find one that fits your needs.
Related Articles
What Does Dental Insurance Cover?
Dental Insurance Waiting Periods
Is Vision Insurance Worth It?
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is the trade name of: In Colorado: Rocky Mountain Hospital and Medical Service, Inc. HMO products underwritten by HMO Colorado, Inc. In Connecticut: Anthem Health Plans, Inc. In Indiana: Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. In Georgia: Blue Cross Blue Shield Healthcare Plan of Georgia, Inc. and AMGP Georgia Managed Care Company, Inc. In Kentucky: Anthem Health Plans of Kentucky, Inc. In Maine: Anthem Health Plans of Maine, Inc. In Missouri (excluding 30 counties in the Kansas City area): RightCHOICE® Managed Care, Inc. (RIT), Healthy Alliance® Life Insurance Company (HALIC), and HMO Missouri, Inc. RIT and certain affiliates administer non-HMO benefits underwritten by HALIC and HMO benefits underwritten by HMO Missouri, Inc. RIT and certain affiliates only provide administrative services for self-funded plans and do not underwrite benefits. In Nevada: Community Care Health Plan of Nevada, Inc. and Rocky Mountain Hospital and Medical Service, Inc. HMO products underwritten by HMO Colorado, Inc., dba HMO Nevada. In New Hampshire: Anthem Health Plans of New Hampshire, Inc. HMO plans are administered by Anthem Health Plans of New Hampshire, Inc. and underwritten by either Matthew Thornton Health Plan, Inc. or Anthem Health Plans of New Hampshire, Inc. In 17 southeastern counties of New York: Anthem HealthChoice Assurance, Inc. and Anthem HealthChoice HMO, Inc. In these same counties Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield HP is the trade name of Anthem HP, LLC. In Ohio: Community Insurance Company. In Virginia: Anthem Health Plans of Virginia, Inc. trades as Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, and its affiliate HealthKeepers, Inc. trades as Anthem HealthKeepers providing HMO coverage, and their service area is all of Virginia except for the City of Fairfax, the Town of Vienna, and the area east of State Route 123. In Wisconsin: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wisconsin (BCBSWI) underwrites or administers PPO and indemnity policies and underwrites the out-of-network benefits in POS policies offered by Compcare Health Services Insurance Corporation. Compcare underwrites or administers HMO or POS policies. Independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Anthem is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc.
CA: Anthem Blue Cross is the trade name of Blue Cross of California. Independent licensee of the Blue Cross Association. Anthem is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc.
1089151NHCENABS