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By
Elizabeth Rivelli
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Full Bio
Elizabeth Rivelli is an insurance writer passionate about helping people navigate the complex world of insurance to help them make empowered choices.
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Updated June 24, 2024
Fact checked by
Bobby L. Hickman, FLMI CLU
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Fact checked byBobby L. Hickman, FLMI CLU
Full Bio
Bobby L. Hickman is a longtime business and financial journalist who brings decades of experience in insurance and financial services to his editor role at Investopedia. He has worked with insurance and financial services companies, such as AFLAC, Allstate, Confederation Life, Farm Bureau, SunLife, and others. His editorial clients include the Atlanta Business Chronicle and Advisors magazine.
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Investopedia’s Rating Our Take DentaQuest is our favorite insurer if you’re looking for a positive customer experience, earning the top spot for customer satisfaction on our best dental insurance list. The sample plan we researched has a relatively affordable premium and several of its plans cover implants. However, the company only offers individual plans in 12 states. DentaQuest’s sample plan also features an 18-month waiting period for major care. Pros & Cons Pros Excellent customer satisfaction ratings Affordable premiums for the sample PPO plan we researched Good coverage for implants and adult orthodontia Cons Long waiting period for major care Relatively high deductible Only operates in 12 states Company Overview DentaQuest was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts. The company serves 37 million Americans and is America’s largest administrator of Medicaid dental benefits. DentaQuest is part of the SunLife U.S. family of companies, one of the country's largest providers of group insurance benefits. Table of Contents DentaQuest Dental Insurance Review 2024 Pros Explained Cons Explained Types of Dental Insurance Offered Other Types DentaQuest Dental Plans Cost Comparison Customer Service Customer Satisfaction The Bottom Line FAQs Methodology DentaQuest provides various dental plans via its website, group plans, Medicaid, and the Health Insurance Marketplace. Through its website, DentaQuest sells five standalone PPO plans and three EPO plans to individuals in the following 12 states: Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. All plans cover 100% of preventative care, like cleanings and routine X-rays, with no waiting period. Two plans cover orthodontia for adults and children, and three plans cover dental implants. Those plans landed DentaQuest on our lists of the best dental insurance companies for implants and the best dental insurance companies for older adults. DentaQuest sells preferred provider organization (PPO) dental insurance in Arizona, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, Ohio, Texas, and Virginia. With a PPO plan, DentaQuest pays the same percentage for covered services, whether you receive care within the DentaQuest network or outside of it. But if you see an out-of-network dentist, you’re responsible for the difference between the payment your dentist receives and the dentist’s fees. So you’ll likely save money by seeing a DentaQuest dentist. Most of DentaQuest’s PPO dental insurance plans have an annual maximum benefit ranging from $1,000 to a generous $2,000. Most cover basic and major services, and some also cover adult braces. Waiting periods vary based on the plan. Two of the highest-tier plans with the highest maximums, lowest deductibles, shortest waiting periods and coverage for adult braces are only available in Georgia but are coming soon to additional states. EPO plans are available in Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee and work much like HMOs. You must see a dentist in the network. Otherwise, you’re responsible for the entire cost of services, and DentaQuest pays nothing. However, these plans do cover emergency care from an out-of-network dentist. Despite some similarities to an HMO plan, DentaQuest’s EPO plans provide the same coverage as the PPO plans. Whether you’re in an EPO or PPO depends on where you live. In addition to individual and family dental plans, DentaQuest also offers the following types of insurance: The cost of DentaQuest’s sample plan varies depending on your location. Based on the rates we collected, the monthly premium ranges from $14.21 to $42.11. This plan has an annual maximum benefit of $1,250 and a $100 deductible for individuals. Other plans that provide more coverage or have lower out-of-pocket costs might have higher monthly premiums. The table below shows the monthly premium for DentaQuest’s Personal Dental Plan Plus in the 10 most populated states where the company operates. To see how DentaQuest compares to other top-rated dental providers, we evaluated its average insurance premium, deductible, and annual maximum benefit with Delta Dental and Spirit. For each company, the sample plan we used was the lowest-premium PPO plan that covers preventive, basic, and major dental care. We found that DentaQuest has much more affordable premiums than Delta Dental but has a higher deductible and lower annual maximum benefit. However, Delta Dental’s premium also incorporates California costs, and DentaQuest doesn’t offer stand-alone dental plans in California. While Spirit has the lowest premium out of the three dental insurance companies, it has the lowest annual maximum benefit of $750. If you’re looking for the cheapest premiums, Spirit is the best option out of the three companies here. But if you use your dental benefits often, having a high annual maximum benefit, which Delta Dental offers, is valuable. DentaQuest strikes a good balance between affordable premiums and a decent annual maximum benefit. DentaQuest offers standard customer service options. You can call the company at 1-800-417-7140 or submit an online form to send an email. DentaQuest members can access their policy and make payments through an online customer portal. DentaQuest also has a mobile app, myDentaQuest, where members can manage their benefits, change dentists, download insurance ID cards, and more. DentaQuest has excellent customer satisfaction. The company’s three-year average NAIC complaint index for 2020, 2021, and 2022 indicates that DentaQuest has fewer complaints than expected for its size. Additionally, DentaQuest is rated above average for overall customer satisfaction in the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Dental Plan Satisfaction Study. DentaQuest earned a score of 794 out of 1,000, which is higher than the study average of 782. DentaQuest stands out for its superior customer satisfaction compared to other top-rated dental insurance companies. It offers a variety of PPO and EPO plans with varying benefits, so you can find a plan that fits the level of coverage you need. Additionally, the sample plan we researched has a reasonable premium. However, one DentaQuest plan has a very long waiting period (18 months) for major care and a higher deductible than other plans. DentaQuest only operates in 12 states, and some of the best plans offer high annual benefit caps. Dental insurance is a type of insurance that helps you pay for dental work, such as cleanings, x-rays, fillings, and crowns. Most plans have a deductible, which you must pay before your insurance plan will start covering your dental care. It’s also common for dental plans to have an annual maximum benefit, which is the most the plan will pay for covered care during the year. After you reach that annual maximum, the plan doesn’t pay anything else toward your treatments. DentaQuest says there are 100,000 “access points” across all 50 states. To find a dentist who accepts DentaQuest insurance, visit the company’s website and search for providers in your area. You can also filter by dentists who are accepting new patients. DentaQuest and DentaTrust are related, but they are not the same. DentaTrust is a collection of ACA-compliant dental insurance plans offered by the Dental Care Plus Group (DCPG) to individuals and families. The DentaTrust plans are administered by DentaQuest and use the DentaQuest network of providers. DentaQuest’s sample plan probably isn’t worth it if you mainly use your benefits for preventive care. Here’s an example of why. The average dental cleaning costs about $98 without insurance. If you have two cleanings per year, it will cost you $195. If you need a complete set of routine X-rays,it will cost you an additional $143. For two cleanings and one set of X-rays, you’ll pay $338. That is less than the average annual premium for DentaQuest’s sample plan, which is $386 annually. In this case, not having dental insurance and paying out-of-pocket would be cheaper. Call your dentist to find out your costs with and without insurance. If you need to use your dental coverage for basic and major care, DentaQuest’s sample plan might be better suited to your needs. Remember that waiting periods and annual maximums for major care vary considerably depending on which DentaQuest plan you look at, so consider how urgent or expensive your treatment might be. There are several ways to apply for a DentaQuest dental insurance plan. You can get a quote online for your state and purchase a plan online, or you can call an agent at 1-800-417-7140. If you qualify for Medicare Advantage, Medicaid/CHIP, or an ACA Marketplace plan, you can get a DentaQuest plan through the federal Health Insurance Marketplace or your state’s health insurance exchange. To determine which dental insurance companies to review, we tapped into both market data and public sentiment. We used business and industry databases to get insights into market share, and user-generated data from Google to understand trends and public interest in stand-alone dental plans. This analysis narrowed our focus to 17 key companies offering dental coverage to individuals, regardless of whether their health insurance was purchased through state or federal marketplaces or independently. We collected data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), a standard-setting and regulatory support organization that maintains a database of customer complaints. We also gathered data directly from companies via websites, media contacts, and existing partnerships. The data collection process took place between Oct. 9, 2023, and Dec. 23, 2023. We then developed a quantitative model that scored each dental insurance provider based on 35 criteria that fall into five major categories and are crucial in evaluating the company’s offerings and benefits. We weighted the five categories as follows for this article: To learn more about our process for finding the best dental insurance companies, read our full methodology. Article Sources Investopedia requires writers to use primary sources to support their work. These include white papers, government data, original reporting, and interviews with industry experts. We also reference original research from other reputable publishers where appropriate. You can learn more about the standards we follow in producing accurate, unbiased content in oureditorial policy. Dentaquest. "Dentaquest Announces Plans to Combine With Sun Life U.S." Dentaquest. "About Us." J.D. Power. "Dental Plan Satisfaction Rising as Communications and Plan Coverage Increase, J.D. Power Finds." American Dental Association. “Dental Fees: Results From the 2020 Survey of Dental Fees.” Investopediais part of the Dotdash Meredithpublishingfamily. 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Pros Explained
Cons Explained
Types of Dental Insurance Offered by DentaQuest
PPO Plans
EPO Plans
Other Types of Insurance Offered by DentaQuest
DentaQuest Dental Plans
Plan Name Preventive Care: Plan Pays Basic Care: Plan Pays Major Care: Plan Pays Deductible per Person Annual Max. Benefit Personal Dental Plan Basic (PPO/EPO) 100% Not covered Not covered $50 $1,000 Personal Dental Plan Preventive (PPO/EPO) 100% 50% after a 6-month waiting period Not covered $50 None Personal Dental Plan Plus (PPO/EPO) 100% 50% after a 6-month waiting period 30% after a 18-month waiting period $100 $1,250 Personal Dental Plan Comprehensive Plus with Ortho 1500 (PPO only) 100% 80%; no waiting period 50% after deductible; no waiting period $50 $1,500 for dental care (ortho care has separate $1,500 lifetime benefit cap per member) Personal Dental Plan Comprehensive with Ortho 2000 (PPO only) 100% 50% after a 6-month waiting period 50% after a 12-month waiting period $50 $2,000 for dental care (ortho care has separate $1,500 lifetime benefit cap per member) How Much Does DentaQuest Dental Insurance Cost?
Cost of DentaQuest Personal Dental Plan Plus in 10 States State Monthly Premium Texas (ZIP code 77449) $22.38 Florida (34787) $14.21 Pennsylvania (15006) $28.23 Illinois (60629) $42.11 Ohio (43123) $17.34 Georgia (30349) $22.90 Virginia (22015) $22.84 Arizona (85254) $31.46 Tennessee (38113) $18.25 Indiana (46143) $23.03 How Does DentaQuest Compare to Other Dental Insurance Companies?
Company Avg. Premium (Sample Plan) Avg. Deductible (Sample Plan) Avg. Annual Max Benefit (Sample Plan) DentaQuest $32.24 $100 $1,250 Delta Dental $53.59 $50 $2,000 Spirit $19.21 $100 $750 Customer Service
Medium Contact Info Availability Phone 1-800-417-7140 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT Customer Satisfaction
The Bottom Line
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What Is Dental Insurance?
Who Accepts DentaQuest Dental Insurance?
Is DentaQuest the Same as DentaTrust?
Is Dental Insurance From DentaQuest Worth It?
How Do You Apply for DentaQuest Dental Insurance?
How We Chose the Best Dental Insurance Companies
