Many people seeking personal dental insurance are looking for dental insurance no waiting period. Some people purchase their own dental insurance plan instead of using a dental policy provided by an employer. In some cases, these people encounter a waiting period.
For regular health insurance, coverage typically begins as soon as the policy is purchased or at the beginning of the next month. In contrast, most dental plans delay the onset of coverage for a specified period after enrollment. This period can be six months, twelve months, or more.
The idea behind the waiting period is to prevent people from purchasing a dental insurance plan only when they need to undergo an expensive procedure—such as a bridge or root canal—and canceling the policy, along with the premiums, as soon as the procedure is complete.
This might leave you wondering whether it’s a good idea to get dental insurance. If you decide to get this insurance, here are some ways to get around the waiting period.
Use dental insurance plans that have no waiting period
Some of the dental insurance plans that provide dental insurance no waiting period include:
- Group plan. Like dental plans from employers, group plans have no waiting period. Organizations such as AARP offer group plans that have the same privileges as plans offered by many employers. With these plans, you can at least be sure that you don’t have to endure a waiting period before you can receive preventative dental services.
- Preferred provider organization (PPO). PPO insurance plans don’t have a waiting period. In this case, the “preferred provider” is a dentist who is included in the insurance company’s network. It’s advisable to use preferred providers. There’s limited coverage for practitioners outside the network.
- Discount dental plan. Technically, these are not insurance products. In this case, organizations negotiate discount rates with dentists who choose to participate in the network. Paying a specified yearly fee gives you access to discounted dental services from dentists who are in the network.
Use dental insurance providers that have no waiting period
Examples of dental insurance companies that offer dental insurance plans that come with immediate coverage include:
- Delta Dental
- Humana
- Cigna
- Spirit Dental
- Denali Dental
- Physicians Mutual
The Bottom Line
In addition to the insurance providers listed in this article, you can use a dental insurance search engine to research other options. Get a list of dental plans in your area by entering your age and ZIP code in the search engine. Find out which among them don’t have a waiting period by using a “no waiting period” filter is one is available. You can also call our free dental insurance information line that helps you compare different plans. Just call 855-618-9925 to get started.
Don’t wait until you have severe dental health problems to start researching good dental insurance plans. The worst time to shop for anything is when you’re in an emergency in which you desperately need the service.
We’re always adding new content! Check out of review of Guardian Dental in 2019.