Good health insurance is essential because it can protect you from high unexpected medical costs. However, you should be aware that most health insurances don’t cover the cost of dental health services, which are just as important. Therefore, you must invest in a separate dental insurance plan.

Luckily, Montana Dental Insurance providers offer different dental plans for preventative care, basic care, and major procedures. For a fixed monthly rate, you’re entitled to various dental benefits, including regular checkups and services that improve your overall dental health.

Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), you can find reasonably priced dental insurance for children. However, for adults, dental insurance options are scarce and far more expensive; therefore, it’s common to want to explore other options, like independent dental insurance or a dental savings plan. 

This process can be tricky, so this article will provide you with all the important information you need to know about Dental Insurance in Montana, how to get the best independent plans for oral care, and how to choose the right insurance depending on your needs.

When buying dental insurance, you’ll notice there are different independent plans. Here are the most common options in Montana: 

Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) – For PPO plans, an insurance company has contracts with a network of dentists who have agreed to charge specific fees for approved services. However, patients can use their benefits at any dentist, regardless of whether they’re in their plan's network. 

Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) – You’ll need to use an in-network dentist to receive coverage. With the HMO plan, you have to select a primary care dentist and rely on him for your dental needs.

Indemnity Insurance – You can choose any dentist, but you might be required to pay the entire bill upfront, file a claim, and then be reimbursed up to a certain amount by the insurer.

How Does Montana Dental Insurance Work?

Dental Insurance plans in Montana work the same way any other medical insurance does. You pay a monthly rate and get different benefits such as regular checkups, cleaning, x-rays, oral surgery, and dental implants. However, they can differ depending on the plan. Some plans provide better coverage than others, and some others will require extra payments for certain services. The best plans usually include the following: 

Preventive care— Oral exams, cleanings, and x-rays are 100% covered by insurance. 

Basic procedures— Treatment for gum disease, fillings, extractions, and root canals are 80% covered by insurance, and the remaining 20% has to be covered by you. 

Major procedures— Crowns, bridges, inlays, and dentures are covered at 50% by the insurance, which means the remaining half has to be covered by you.

Keep in mind that if you have any minor pre-existing conditions, such as cavities, most plans will cover them. But, if you have severe pre-existing conditions, such as cosmetic procedures and adult orthodontics, most plans will not provide any coverage.

Dental insurances in Montana work the same way medical insurances do; they’re either indemnity or managed-care plans. Usually, the indemnity plans provide a bigger range of services than the managed-care plans. 

There are also dental insurances in Montana with no waiting period, which have low monthly premiums and high dental coverage throughout the whole year. These types of plans can cover basic, preventative, and major procedures, and they’re perfect for people who delay getting dental insurance due to the cost.

There’s no need to worry about high costs for individual dental insurance (Montana) because many affordable plans exist. Therefore, you should invest in a dental health plan even if you’re young. By caring about your oral health early, you will reduce the chances of developing more serious issues later.

However, Senior dental insurance (Montana) is also vital because as you age, you may develop more gum and teeth problems, and those are typically very expensive to treat. Thus, you need a reliable insurance plan so you don’t end up spending a lot of money while undergoing any restorative treatments. With the right dental insurance, you can easily stick to your budget without sacrificing high-quality care. 

Although, you have to be extra careful when choosing a plan because some insurances don't cover every procedure. The best thing to do is to purchase one that will cover everything, from basic to major procedures.

Apart from a dental insurance plan, you can also have vision insurance plans that provide different services and discounts. There are vision insurance plans for seniors, families, and workers, keeping your eyes healthy at a low cost.

The different bundles include eye exams, affordable glasses and contacts, and discounts on laser surgeries. However, just like dental insurance, the cost varies depending on the provider. But, there is a way to get a vision and dental bundle at an affordable rate.

Average Cost of Dental Insurance in Montana

Montana dental insurance average cost is close to the national average cost. Plans can cost anywhere between $16 to $38 per month and $70 to $200 per year. However, the rates will vary depending on the number of people, age, gender, pre-existing conditions, and more.

Additionally, prices can vary depending on where you live. For example, if you live in a large city where the cost of living is high, the average cost of dental insurance will also be high. But, if you live in a smaller city, your premium will be lower. 

How to Find Affordable Dental Care Plans

Affordable dental insurance in Montana can be easily found as long as you know which factors to consider when buying one. Also, you shouldn't buy the first one you find; with insurance plans, you must shop around to find the best price. Finally, when looking for a plan, you should consider one that can offer a low deductible, dental network, maximum benefit limit, and discounts. 

A deductible is a minimum amount that you have to pay before your insurance covers the remaining amount. Therefore, a low deductible means that the insurance pays more and you pay less. To ensure that the insurance provides maximum coverage, you should go for a policy with a high maximum benefit payout, which is the maximum cost your insurance will cover.

Now, you must be wondering how much does dental insurance cost in Montana? There are cheap dental plans, and you can get a good flexible one that can be used individually or by entire families. In addition, you can get reduced rates on preventative and restorative care and have access to specialists. 

Another aspect to be aware of when it comes to discount plans is that they’re not insurance plans. Instead, you pay monthly to become a member, and you have special pricing when you visit your in-network dentist.

Apart from the individual and family plans, different plans have group access to a national network of dentists. You can choose the covered services and the benefit level to fit your needs through superior dental plans. Additionally, with the superior dental plan and the superior vision plan, you can have access to excellent wellness bundles.   

By bundling your plans, you can lower the dental insurance cost in Montana by thousands. Occasionally, employees (and their dependents) who enrol in the dental plan are automatically enrolled in the vision plan. In addition, there are employer-paid and voluntary options. With the employer-paid, the employer pays a portion of the employee premium and 0% of the dependent premium. With the voluntary, the employer pays 0% of the employee premium and 0% of the dependent premium.  

Best Dental Insurance Companies in Montana

Detailed Reviews

Cigna

As the best dental insurance (Montana)— Cigna is the top choice in many reviews. It has a vast network of dentists (93,000) and the opportunity to buy a plan that is tailored to your needs. The individual plans come with no copays and no deductibles for preventive care. Also, they have phone support 24/7. Their plans start at $19 per month and go up to $1500 per year, but you will have extra coverage for restorative and orthodontic care.

However, the Cigna dental plans in Montana are not extremely cheap. Many people like that Cigna has an extensive dentist network, but they say their work is overpaid. 

Guardian

Guardian insurance has been on the market for over 150 years and they have excellent plans, offering additional benefits and an opportunity to ensure employer dental health.

If you live near Montana, you can purchase Guardian dental insurance in Montana. But, according to reviews, the waiting period is too long. Also, many reviewers claim that they were only partially covered (for approximately 20–30% of the promised price), and they would not recommend this company. However, some statements claim the opposite.

United Healthcare

We can’t recommend United Healthcare dental insurance in Montana since the reviews state that it’s on the blacklist of insurance companies. However, we suggest you do your own research and personally ask others about their experience with this company. 

However, some pros of this company include no fees for the premium and the deductible. In addition, most of the plans have generous benefits such as fitness membership and a nurse hotline. But, you should check the price because the premiums can be slightly higher than average in some areas. 

Physicians Mutual

Seniors mostly choose Physicians Mutual dental insurance in Montana since it offers specialized pricing for a seniors budget. However, reviews claim there is a three-month waiting period for basic procedures and over a year for significant work. 

Other than that, there is no waiting period for preventative care, and there are no deductibles or annual/lifetime limits on benefits. Physicians Mutual is a trusted company that has financial strength and covers over 350 procedures.

Delta Dental

This is one of the largest dental providers, and if you want to choose between a large network of dentists, then Delta Dental insurance in Montana is your go-to. The reviews vary as some people love that their plans include orthodontic care and that there are no out-of-pocket costs. But, there are also complaints about the low annual maximum benefit, and the low 50% coverage for orthodontic care.  However, if you don’t mind these issues, then go for it.