Dental care is very expensive, particularly if you require work beyond the usual cleaning and routine exams. Americans spend on average about $514 on dental care every year.
This is where dental insurance companies in Georgia can offer you some benefits.
Good dental insurance can help you cover the cost of not just your preventive and maintenance care but also share the burden of more expensive procedures like root canal therapy, crowns, and dental implants.
In this guide, we have compared companies that provide the best dental insurance in Georgia on the basis of:
- Type of coverage
- What’s included in the coverage
- Coverage for preexisting conditions
- Rates
- The waiting period, claims percentage, and deductibles
- Pros and cons
Let’s start. Make sure to check our list of the best dental insurance companies as well.
Types of Dental Coverage
There are two main types of dental insurance in Georgia that can help you pay for costly dental treatments:
- Dental Health Maintenance Organization (DHMO)
- Dental Preferred Provider Organization (DPPO)
Dental Health Maintenance Organization
Dental Health Maintenance Organization (DHMO) plans to use a dental network to offer dental services at a discounted rate. DHMO plans may not have an annual maximum benefit limit or deductibles, but people can pay a fixed fee or copayments to their dentists.
DHMO plans are good for basic dental services but may have limits for major procedures. Additionally, if you go to a dentist that is not part of the network, you will have to foot the entire bill yourself.
Dental Preferred Provider Organization
Dental Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plans also utilize a network of dentists to provide patients with reduced dental bills. You can choose to work with any dentist you want, though out-of-network dentists may mean reduced dental benefits.
PPO dental insurance in Georgia involves:
Deductibles: A deductible is a fee you need to pay before you can use your insurance benefits. Plans can have both annual deductibles that rest every year and lifetime deductibles that are paid once for the time you have the insurance plan.
Waiting period: This is the length of time you need to wait after buying a dental insurance policy to use the benefits. It can range from a few days to over 12 months, depending on the coverage levels.
Annual maximum benefit: This is the amount of reimbursement you can receive in a single year. If you reach the limit, you have to pay out of your pocket for any extra expenses. This limit is reset every year.
Coinsurance: Coinsurance is the percentage of the expenses you pay after you have paid the deductible. For example, if a dental procedure costs $500 and your coinsurance is 20%, you pay $100 once you have paid the deductible.
How Does Georgia Dental Insurance Work?
Like all other insurances, dental insurance charges a premium for covered benefits. Unlike other plans, however, most dental insurance in Georgia has a maximum benefit limit, typically between $1,000 and $3,000 per year.
Dental insurance plans cover essential preventive care and basic coverage. They may also cover major procedures but that claim percentage may be limited. So whether you have an adult or pediatric dental insurance in Georgia, it is best to check its details.
Here are some basic services that typical dental insurance in Georgia covers:
Preventive care: Includes routine dental and periodontal exams, x-rays, cleaning, fluoride treatment, and sealants.
Basic care: Includes basic essential dental insurance in Georgia. Crown placement, extractions, fillings, minor oral surgery, small space maintenance (not always covered).
Major procedures: Major services include only extensive procedures like dentures, bridgework, periodontal cleaning, gum therapies, and root canals. Crowns may also be included in this, depending on the treatment.
What Is Not Covered?
There are a few procedures that are almost never covered by dental insurance in Georgia.
These include:
Cosmetic dentistry: Procedures include teeth whitening, veneers, enamel shaping, and contouring.
Major pre-existing conditions: Major oral and dental health conditions that were diagnosed before the client took out the policy.
Adult orthodontia: These include braces for straightening adult teeth.
How Much is Dental Insurance in Georgia?
The cost of dental insurance varies due to numerous factors like your level of coverage, health history, age, and even geography. According to our estimates, the average cost of dental insurance in Georgia per month is between $15 and $60.
A dental insurance plan with a higher maximum benefit and lower dental insurance deductible may result in a higher premium. That said, there are many companies that offer low-cost dental insurance in Georgia through PPO discounts and bundled health care, like vision, health, and dental care all in the same package.
How to Find Affordable Dental Insurance in Georgia?
When buying low-income dental insurance in Georgia, you need to consider what type of coverage you need. Many companies offer family dental insurance in Georgia at a discounted premium or a lower deductible, which can be a good option for budget-focused people who want to get their entire family covered.
Some other things that you must evaluate in a company that offers cheap dental insurance in Georgia are given below:
- The company should be financially stable and have a good rating from agencies like AM Best.
- It should have prompt and helpful customer service via multiple channels, including live chat, phone, email, and social media.
- The plans should have affordable monthly premiums with a range of covered treatments and procedures.
- It should have good customer reviews.
- If the company offers multi-applicant or multi-policy discount rates, it can be a plus for you.
- If opting for a family dental insurance in Georgia, make sure the company covers conditions that require treatment in children, adults, and seniors.
Best Dental Insurance Companies in Georgia
Delta Dental Insurance
Delta Dental insurance in Georgia offers PPO and Premier plans. One of the things that set apart Delta Dental is that it offers several insurance plans that also cover orthodontic care for children as well as adults. Typically, most dental insurance providers in Georgia do not offer multiple orthodontic options.
- PPO premiums: Starts at $64.92 for individuals; $213.34 for a family of four
- Reimbursement percentage: 100% for preventive care; 50% for basic, major, and orthodontia
- Deductibles: $50
- Annual maximum: $1,500
Delta Dental also has good financial stability as evident by the A rating from AM Best.
Pros
- 63 million people use the company’s insurance services
- Insurance accepted by 348,000 dentists
- Plans offer flexibility in orthodontic choices
- Full reimbursement for preventive care within annual limits
- Has good financial stability
Cons
- The annual maximum benefit amount is very low
Cigna Dental Insurance
Cigna Dental PPO plans are available to people of all ages with pricing charged at a per-person, per-month basis. A good thing about Cigna Dental is that it provides flexibility and customizability when it comes to restorative and orthodontic care.
In addition, Cigna dental insurance requires no deductible and no coinsurance for preventive care, when you visit in-network dentists. Some features of its most comprehensive plan - the individual Cigna Dental 1,500 plan, include:
- Preventive care deductible: $0 for in-network preventive care
- Maximum benefit: Up to $1,500 after deductible and coinsurance for restorations; up to $1,000 covered for orthodontic treatment.
- Individual deductible: $50
- Family deductible: $150
Pros
- No deductible and no coinsurance in the preventive care plan
- Provides flexibility for restorative care and orthodontic plan
- 90,000 in-network dentists
- Offers global coverage
- A rating from AM Best
Cons
- No coverage for restorative services in the preventive care plan
- Orthodontia covered in Cigna Dental 1,500
- Six month waiting period for basic coverage; 12 month waiting period for major coverage and orthodontia.
Aetna Dental Insurance
Aetna is one of the oldest and most trusted companies providing health and dental insurance in Georgia as well as the rest of the United States.
Aetna individual dental insurance in Georgia offers two plans:
Aetna Dental Direct Preferred PPO: $53.12
Aetna Dental Direct Core PPO: $46.38
Here we will discuss the key features of the Preferred PPO plan:
- Annual maximum benefit: $1,250
- Deductible: $50 per year
- Claim percentage: 100% for preventive services; 80% for basic services; 50% for major services
- Savings: 15% to 50%
- Coinsurance: 0% for preventive care; 20% for basic care; 50% for major care
- Waiting period: 12 months for major services
Pros
- Provides dental insurance for 15 million people
- Aetna dental insurance in Georgia offers comprehensive coverage
- Personalized plans for children, students, retirees, and young professionals
- Offers up to 50% saving under its Vital Savings credit card program
Cons
- Stand-alone dental insurance in Georgia is not available. This insurance is only offered in a few states, including Alaska, Arizona, Delaware, Illinois, and Pennsylvania.
Guardian Dental Insurance: Best for Basic Dental Care
Guardian dental insurance in Georgia offers multiple dental plans that are great for covering your basic needs. This means you get only the kind of coverage you need at an affordable price.
Hence, Guardian dental insurance is a good option for those who do not need costly restorative procedures like crowns, root canals, and tooth implants.
Here we will see the key features of the Guardian Direct dental program. Guardian Direct offers three plans. For a person between the age of 19 and 49, it costs:
- Advantage Bronze: $18.94
- Advantage Silver: $25.25
- Advantage Gold: $36.10
For the most comprehensive plan, i.e. the Advantage Gold plan, Guardian covers:
Reimbursement: 100% for cleaning and x-rays; 70% for fillings; 50% for root canals, crowns, implant, child braces
Waiting period: 6 months for filling, 1 year for major work, no waiting period for cleanings
Deductibles: For preventive care $0 if you use a participating dentist; $50 for non-participating dentists. $50 for all other dental care
Maximum benefits: 1st year pays $1,000; 2nd year pays $1,250; 3rd year pays $1,500
The company is rated A+ by BBB.
Pros
- Comprehensive coverage
- Affordable price
- Over 120,000 in-network dentists available
Cons
- People report delays in claim reimbursement
- Customer service isn’t great
Kaiser Dental Insurance
Kaiser Permanente dental insurance in Georgia sets itself apart from other dental insurance plans because it is a not-for-profit health care plan, which has garnered great reviews from patients and rating agencies.
Kaiser dental insurance in Georgia offers its plans through Delta Dental Insurance Company. Here, we will evaluate the Advantage Plus plan that is offered in Georgia.
The Advantage Plus plan combines with Medicare coverage to provide you with a single health plan. This plan is great for people who prefer managed care.
The plan has no deductibles or maximums.
Dental benefits include:
- $10 per visit, including oral examination. Cleaning and preventive x-rays are covered twice a year.
- Non-routine dental care: Up to $580, plus copay
- Restorative care: $18 to $580, plus copay
- Extractions, periodontic, endodontics: up to $400, plus copay
- Prosthodontics, oral and maxillofacial surgery: $18 to $580
Pros
- Comprehensive services for dental care
- No deductibles or maximums
- Multiple ways to make appointments
- Customer service is great
Cons
- Kaiser dental insurance in Georgia is only available in Atlanta and Athens
- Services will only be covered if you visit a participating dentist
Metlife Dental Insurance
MetLife dental insurance in Georgia covers 400 procedures as their dental care plan. The standard package and high care package vary in terms of covered procedures and pricing. Below is what their Veteran Affairs Dental Insurance Program in Georgia looks like:
- Annual Deductible: $50
- Maximum benefits: $1,300 to $3,500
- Reimbursement: 100% of preventive care; 50% to 70% of basic services; 30% to 50% of major services; 50% of orthodontic treatment (only covered by the high care plan after a 24 month waiting period).
- Basic coverage premium: $28.12
- High coverage premium: $54.49
Pros
- Affordable for veterans and dependents
- Dentists in 458,000 locations
- Annual benefits up to $3,500
Cons
- Must be enrolled with the Veterans Affairs health care program
- Limited numbers of plans and customizability
- 24-month waiting period for orthodontics
