Introducing dental insurance plans with no waiting period allows you to receive coverage immediately for dental work instead of waiting 6-18 months. By removing lengthy waiting periods, these plans provide access to preventative cleanings and even major dental procedures as soon as your policy starts.
What Exactly is a Waiting Period for Dental Insurance?
- A waiting period refers to the time between when your dental insurance policy starts and when you can utilize coverage. Many standard plans impose waiting periods from 6 to 18 months for basic and major services.
This means you must pay full out-of-pocket costs for any dental treatment during the waiting period. Once the waiting window ends, insurance coverage kicks in to lower your costs.
- Common treatments with required waiting periods include:
- Fillings
- Crown procedures
- Root canals
- Dentures/bridges
- Orthodontics
- Waiting periods allow insurance companies to avoid claims from pre-existing and urgent issues in new clients. Without waiting periods, many people would only enroll when dental work was needed.
Why Choose No Waiting Period Dental Insurance?
Immediate Coverage
- No waiting dental insurance provides full coverage starting day 1 of your policy. You don’t need to delay critical dental work or pay everything out-of-pocket while waiting.
- Especially beneficial if you know you need major dental work done soon or have an emerging oral health issue requiring quick treatment.
Lower Out-of-Pocket Costs
- Don’t drain your savings paying for expensive dental procedures during a long waiting period. Bypassing the wait lowers your overall costs.
- For example, a single root canal and crown procedure can cost $2,000+ without insurance. No waiting insurance brings this down to a few hundred dollars.
Annual maximums limit the total yearly amount insurers pay, which is typically $1,000 – $1,500 for no waiting plans.
What Treatments are Covered Immediately?
No waiting dental plans cover a wide range of services either immediately or after a very brief initial period:
- Preventative cleanings, x-rays and exams – Covered with zero wait
- Basic fillings and extractions – Also no wait for coverage
- Root canals, crowns, dentures and bridges – May have a 2-3 month waiting maximum
- Orthodontics – Typically a 6 month waiting period
Always verify exact coverage and pre-approvals with your insurer before getting work done.
Choosing the Best No Waiting Dental Insurer
Major national dental insurance providers like Delta Dental, UnitedHealthcare, Cigna, and Humana offer plans without waiting periods.
Others like Principal and Guardian have options depending on your state.
Comparing plans involves examining:
- Monthly Premiums – Prices for individuals vs. families
- Plan Networks – Size of approved dentist networks
- Deductibles and Copays – Out-of-pocket fees per procedure
Below is a sample comparison chart:
| Plan Provider | Monthly Premiums | Network Size | Annual Deductible | Copays |
| Aetna | $40 individual & $125 family | 100K dentists | $100 per person | 10-40% coinsurance |
| Cigna | $75 individual & $200 family | 120K dentists | $75 per person | 20-35% coinsurance |
Getting Covered with No Waiting Dental Insurance
- See if your state’s open enrollment period matches when you need coverage to start. Outside enrollment windows, qualifying life events permit special policy sign-ups.
- Compile required documentation like proof of legal residency and income tax statements in advance to speed up the application process.
- Use online dental insurance quote tools from reputable sites like eHealthInsurance to simplify researching multiple no wait plan options at once.
Removing waiting periods offers earlier access to savings on essential dental treatment. Do your research to find the best value on dental waiting insurance for your specific oral health needs.
Am I Eligible for No Waiting Period Dental Insurance?
Dental insurance plans removing waiting periods have eligibility requirements to qualify for enrollment.
Individual and Family Plans
Most insurers allow enrollment in individual or family no wait dental plans if you:
- Are a legal US resident
- Live within an approved state service area
- Fall under the age cap, typically up to 65 years old
- Have valid immigration status like a Green Card
Family plans cover your spouse and dependents under age 26. Most individual and family plans are ACA-compliant meaning eligibility is guaranteed and pre-existing conditions are covered.
Group Insurance
Alternatively, gain no wait dental benefits through an employer or membership organization. Available if you or a family member has insurance like:
- Employer group health policy
- Union membership
- VA health benefits
- Medicare Advantage
Group coverage acceptance still depends on factors like employment status and meeting member organization rules.
Income Requirements
Financial thresholds determine savings support qualifications for ACA and Medicaid plans.
Medicaid recipients in expansion states can enroll in no waiting dental coverage after qualifying based on low income.
ACA plan subsidies help offset premium costs for households meeting income brackets – 400% of the Federal Poverty Level or less. Uninsured people making above 400% FPL can still qualify but without financial assistance.
Use eligibility calculators to check if income guidelines match your status for privately purchased, ACA or Medicaid plans.