A guide to dental insurance plans

Many people attend yearly dental check-ups and may need small bits of dental work now and then. Others may experience a dental emergency, requiring urgent work.

Although lots of these scenarios are partially covered by the NHS, there are often still fees to pay. Dental insurance is a type of cover that allows you to claim back some or all of these costs. This includes both NHS and private patients.

In this guide, we’ll explain what you need to know about dental health insurance.

How much is a dental insurance plan?

You can buy dental insurance as a standalone policy or you can add it to an existing health insurance policy. Policies can range from around £70 - £300+. If you’ve had previous dental concerns or are in a ‘higher-risk’ category, the premium will be higher.

Just like any insurance policy, the price of the premium depends on your circumstances and other factors, such as:

• Your age and gender
• Your address
• Your dental history
• The level of cover you want
• Whether you’ll be using an NHS dentist or a private one

Another factor that can impact the cost of dental health insurance is how much you’re allowed to claim during the policy term. Cheaper policies will likely have a maximum limit on how much you can claim for a specific treatment per year. More expensive policies may still have a limit, but it’s often higher than lower-cost alternatives.

Pricier policies will often cover more dental treatments than a lower-cost policy, but this varies by insurer so check the detail when you compare dental insurance.

Is it worth buying a policy?

If you rarely need additional dental treatments and have healthy teeth, you might see dental health insurance as an unnecessary spend. But, you may prefer having the peace of mind of having a policy in place in case you need any expensive treatment down the line.

For those who experience dental problems often, an insurance policy can help lighten the load of dentist fees. But, pre-existing concerns aren’t usually covered, and there's often a waiting period at the start of a policy. The waiting period can be anything from one to four months or sometimes even longer and you can’t claim within this time. This means that you can't buy dental health insurance as a last-minute solution.

If you want private care, dental insurance plans can significantly subsidise the costs. Just remember that not all policies will cover the entirety of every fee. Some will only cover a percentage, or up to a certain amount per treatment or appointment.

Private dental care may cost more but has many benefits. For starters, NHS waiting lists can be very long, with patients struggling to register with a practice, often having to wait for years. Registering with a private dentist usually means you'll be able to get an appointment much faster. Appointment durations are also generally longer than through the NHS. You’re able to access a wider range of treatments, even if they aren’t clinically necessary. Dental insurance, however, may not cover all private treatments.

The Office of National Statistics claims that the average household spends £140 a year on medical, optical and dental services. Many dental insurance policies will have a similar or higher cost to this. So the price of the premium and policy coverage are important factors to consider. If you’re under the age of 19 or are eligible for free NHS dentistry, dental insurance may not be worth the cost.

Does dental insurance cover implants?

As a general rule, most policies don't cover cosmetic dentistry procedures like teeth whitening or veneers. The majority of surgical implants will fall into that bracket. In certain cases, dental insurance plans may partially or fully cover an implant if it’s considered to be clinically necessary. This will vary between insurers.

Typically, dental insurance covers routine and emergency dental work. So common procedures such as simple extractions, fillings, dentures and root canals are usually covered. It's also likely it will cover impact injuries (as the result of an accident). Having said that, this often doesn’t usually extend to sporting injuries. 

Do dental insurance plans cover braces?

Most insurance policies will cover braces for under 18s if the patient meets certain requirements. This determines whether the braces are medically necessary, or simply to improve aesthetics. If braces are only required to improve the appearance of the teeth, it’s classed as a cosmetic procedure.

Braces can be given to under 18s for free through the NHS. However, due to high demand, this process often involves long waiting lists. Those who are deemed more medically in need of braces will be placed higher on the list. The patient must be under 18 at the start of the treatment for braces to be free. Being lower down on the waiting list can jeopardise the chances of receiving braces for free. Having dental insurance and selecting a private orthodontist can help speed up this process. The cost of the braces may not be fully covered when receiving private treatment. Be sure to check your policy details.

What’s the best dental insurance?

There are a range of dental health insurance providers on the market, whether you’re looking for a standalone policy or to add on to an existing health insurance policy. Do your research to compare dental insurance providers and remember that the cheapest policy is not always the best.

Decide on the treatments you want coverage for. Then you can choose your preferred level of financial cover. Do you want a lower excess? Do you want a higher maximum claim amount? Do you want to receive your treatments from a private dentist, or an NHS practice? All these factors will help you decide which is the right policy for your needs.

It's important to check the premiums and coverage limits and reading dental insurance reviews will help you understand what it's really like to be a customer. On paper, a policy may seem perfect, but if the insurer doesn't provide good customer service or delays the processing of claims, they may not be the best choice.

Our Smart Money People community of reviewers have shared their honest feedback about the health and dental insurance providers they love and who could do better. Check out what they have to say or leave your own review if you want to share your feedback about dental health insurance providers.