Best Dental Plans for Seniors on Medicare: Plan Comparison
One of the most common questions we hear from Medicare beneficiaries is, "Which dental insurance company is the best?"
The honest answer is that there isn't one company that's best for everyone.
After helping Medicare beneficiaries compare dental plans for more than 15 years, we've found that the "best" plan almost always depends on what kind of dental care someone expects to need.
The right choice depends on whether your priority is a lower monthly premium, faster access to major work like implants or dentures, a shorter waiting period, or a bigger network of dentists to choose from.
This guide walks through what actually separates the major carriers and how to match a plan to your own situation — rather than handing you a single "winner" and moving on.
Quick Answer
There's No Single "Best" Dental Plan — Only a Best Fit
Original Medicare doesn't cover routine dental care, so most beneficiaries buy a standalone dental plan or add dental through Medicare Advantage. Among standalone plans, Ameritas, Cigna, and Delta Dental are three of the most widely available options, and each tends to fit a different priority:
If avoiding a waiting period matters most, look closely at plans with waived or shortened waiting periods for major work.
If you're expecting significant work like implants or dentures, compare annual maximums and implant-specific coverage rather than the premium alone.
If keeping your current dentist matters most, network size and whether your dentist participates should come before price.
This guide focuses on national trends for these carriers. Premiums, networks, and specific benefits vary by state and by the individual plan — always confirm current details for your ZIP code before enrolling.
Company Comparison at a Glance
These are general observations. Premiums vary based on your age, ZIP code, plan tier, and state.
No single company wins across every factor. Ameritas often stands out for shorter waiting periods on major work, Cigna tends to offer a solid middle ground between network size and cost, and Delta Dental's regional network strength can be a real advantage if network size matters more to you than price.
The Companies
Here's a closer look at what each carrier does well, what to watch for, and who each tends to fit best. For a full breakdown of plan tiers and pricing, see each company's dedicated review.
Ameritas
What Ameritas Does Well
- Some plans waive or shorten waiting periods for major services — especially valuable if you already know you'll need a crown, bridge, or implant within the next year
- Implant coverage is available on more plans than many competitors, which matters if implants are a real possibility rather than a hypothetical — see Ameritas's individual dental plans for current plan-by-plan details
- Preventive care (cleanings, exams, X-rays) generally starts immediately, with no waiting period
- Annual maximums can increase over time on some continuously-enrolled plans, rewarding people who stay on the same plan year over year
- Plans are competitively priced in many states
Things to Consider
- Network can be smaller than Delta Dental in some markets
- Benefits and availability vary significantly by state
- Higher annual maximums may require a higher-tier plan
May Be a Good Fit If
- You're expecting implants
- You recently learned you need crowns or another major procedure
- You want fewer waiting periods
- You don't mind confirming your dentist is in-network before enrolling
Who May Want to Consider Another Option
- You want the largest possible dentist network
- Your preferred dentist only participates with Delta Dental
In our experience, people often choose Ameritas after discovering they need a major procedure and don't want to wait a full year before coverage begins.
Cigna
What Cigna Does Well
- Broad national PPO network, useful if you split time between states or travel often — see Cigna's individual dental plans for current network and plan details
- Higher-tier plans offer larger annual maximums, which may help if you expect multiple expensive procedures over several years rather than just routine preventive care
- Multiple plan tiers let you match coverage to your budget
- Preventive care is typically covered at no or low cost
- Some plans bundle vision and hearing discounts alongside dental, worth a look if you're already comparing those separately
Things to Consider
- Waiting periods on major work are fairly standard, not typically waived
- The largest annual maximums are usually reserved for higher-tier, higher-premium plans
- Bundled vision/hearing features vary by plan and aren't universal
May Be a Good Fit If
- You want a nationally recognized network
- You're comparing a range of budgets and want tier flexibility
- You don't need immediate major-work coverage
- Bundled extras like vision or hearing discounts appeal to you
Who May Want to Consider Another Option
- You need immediate major work and don't want to wait through a standard waiting period
In our experience, clients who choose Cigna are usually weighing several plan tiers at once and want the flexibility to trade coverage level for premium as their budget changes.
Delta Dental
What Delta Dental Does Well
- One of the largest dental networks in many states, which can make it easier to keep your current dentist — often one of the first concerns Medicare beneficiaries mention when shopping for dental coverage — see Delta Dental's individual & family plans for current network and plan details
- Offers both PPO and DHMO plan structures, so you can choose network flexibility vs. lower cost
- Long-established claims process most dentists' offices already know
- Preventive care is typically a strong focus across plan tiers
- State-level plans mean options can be tailored to regional dental costs and networks
Things to Consider
- Delta Dental operates through state-level member companies, so benefits and pricing can differ meaningfully by state
- Premiums can run higher than Ameritas or Cigna for comparable coverage in some areas
- Major-work coverage like crowns and implants varies more by state than with the other two carriers
May Be a Good Fit If
- Keeping your current dentist is the priority
- You want the option to choose between PPO and DHMO
- You're comparing plans in a state where Delta Dental's network is strong
- You're comfortable confirming exact benefits for your state before enrolling
Who May Want to Consider Another Option
- Implant coverage is your highest priority
- You're comparing plans in a state where Delta Dental's offerings are limited
We frequently see clients choose Delta Dental simply because their longtime dentist already participates in the network — often before comparing premium or annual maximum at all.
Comparing directly can help too. If implants are your priority, Ameritas may deserve a closer look than Delta Dental, since implant coverage is available on more of its plans. On the other hand, if keeping your current dentist is your top concern, Delta Dental's larger network may outweigh that advantage.
How We Chose These Companies
We chose Ameritas, Cigna, and Delta Dental because they're widely available, frequently requested by our Medicare clients, and each excels in different areas. Rather than naming one universal winner, we evaluated them using the factors that most affect long-term value.
How We Evaluate Dental Plans
We compared:
- Monthly premium — what you pay regardless of whether you use the plan
- Waiting periods — how long before major services like crowns, root canals, or implants are covered
- Annual maximum — the cap on what the plan pays in a calendar year, and how quickly major work can use it up
- Implant and major-work coverage — whether implants are covered at all, and under which category
- Provider network — whether your current dentist is likely to participate, and how much it costs to go out-of-network
- Ease of using benefits — claims process, whether pre-authorization is common, and how predictable the cost-sharing is
Most of the calls we get aren't about premiums at all. They're from someone who enrolled in a plan, needed a crown or an implant six months later, and discovered the annual maximum or waiting period meant the plan barely helped with that specific bill.
The premium is the easiest number to compare and the least useful one for deciding whether a plan will actually help you when you need it.
We've also seen people focus almost entirely on premium while overlooking waiting periods or annual maximums. Months later, when they need a crown or implant, they're surprised to learn their plan contributes far less than expected. Those conversations are one of the reasons we encourage comparing more than just the monthly cost.
We've also found that many people spend weeks comparing premiums but never verify whether their dentist participates in the plan's network. That one step can make a much bigger difference than saving a few dollars each month.
Common Mistakes We See
- Choosing a plan based on premium alone, without checking the waiting period for the type of work they actually need
- Assuming a $5,000 annual maximum means the insurer pays $5,000 toward a procedure like implants — in reality, coinsurance and frequency limits usually mean your actual reimbursement is much lower
- Not confirming their current dentist is in-network before enrolling
- Buying a plan the month before they expect major work, not realizing most waiting periods for major services run 6 to 12 months
- Assuming all "Delta Dental" or "Cigna" plans nationwide have identical benefits, when coverage and pricing are often set at the state or regional level
A real-world example: someone paying $25 a month may feel like they've found the cheapest plan available.
But if they need a $2,500 crown six months later and the plan's waiting period on major work hasn't expired yet, that lower premium didn't actually save them money — it just meant paying for insurance that couldn't help with the bill they had.
What Every Dental Plan Gives Up
It also helps to understand that every dental plan is a set of trade-offs — no plan maximizes all of these at once.
- A higher annual maximum usually comes with a higher premium
- Shorter waiting periods often cost more, or apply only to certain plan tiers
- A larger network doesn't always mean lower out-of-pocket costs
- Lower premiums frequently come with lower annual maximums or longer waiting periods
Understanding these trade-offs matters more than memorizing any single company's features — it's what lets you judge whether a plan actually fits your situation.
What Actually Matters to Seniors
Most of the questions people bring to us aren't about percentages or plan categories. They're practical.
Can I keep my current dentist? Check the plan's network directly, don't assume a "large network" claim means your specific dentist participates.
What happens if I need dentures or an implant? Look at the waiting period and annual maximum together, not just whether the service is "covered."
Will this actually save me money? For people who only need routine cleanings and exams, a lower-premium preventive-focused plan often makes more sense than a plan built around major-work coverage. The American Dental Association recommends regular preventive visits regardless of how you pay for them, since catching problems early tends to keep costs down either way.
Should I just skip insurance and pay cash? If you only expect cleanings and X-rays, this can genuinely be cheaper over a year. Some seniors who only expect preventive care may spend less paying their dentist directly than paying a monthly premium for insurance they rarely use. If you expect a crown, implant, or dentures, it's worth comparing the total annual premium plus your expected cost-sharing against the dentist's cash price — major dental work can make insurance more valuable, but coverage doesn't automatically mean you'll spend less.
Which Plan Fits You
Tap what matters most to you right now:
Select an option above to see guidance for your situation.
If you only need cleanings and exams
A lower-premium preventive plan is usually enough — don't overpay for major-work coverage you may not use.
Look at: basic-tier plans first, and compare premiums directly since you're less likely to hit an annual maximum.
If you expect implants soon
Focus first on waiting periods, implant coverage, and annual maximums. A lower premium won't help much if the plan doesn't contribute toward the procedure when you need it.
Look at: Ameritas and Cigna both cover implants on some plans — compare specific waiting periods for your state before anything else.
If you're on a fixed income
Weigh the annual premium against a realistic estimate of what you'd actually spend out-of-pocket without coverage.
Look at: run the math before assuming insurance is cheaper — for preventive-only care, it sometimes isn't.
If keeping your current dentist matters most
Confirm network participation first — it should outweigh a small premium difference.
Look at: Delta Dental's network strength makes it worth checking first in many states, though Ameritas and Cigna are worth confirming too.
Bottom Line
There isn't one dental insurance company that's best for every Medicare beneficiary. Be cautious of any guide that recommends a single company for everyone without explaining the trade-offs. Each of these three carriers earns its place for a different reason.
May be worth considering if shorter waiting periods are your priority
Ameritas, particularly for people expecting implants or major work soon.
May fit people who value broad provider access on a mid-range budget
Cigna, for people who want national coverage without top-tier pricing.
May work well if keeping your current dentist is most important
Delta Dental, in states where its network is strongest.
May be enough if you only need routine care
Any carrier's lowest-tier preventive plan — don't pay for major-work coverage you don't expect to use.
Whatever you choose, confirm your dentist is in-network, read the waiting period for the specific service you expect to need, and get a quote for your own ZIP code rather than relying on national averages.
Dental insurance plans change over time. Before enrolling, always review the current Summary of Benefits, provider directory, and premium for your ZIP code.
We review this guide periodically as carriers update benefits, networks, and pricing.
The best dental insurance isn't necessarily the one with the lowest premium or the highest annual maximum — it's the one that best matches the care you realistically expect to need.
FAQs
- Does Medicare cover dental care?
- Is dental insurance worth it for seniors on Medicare?
- How long is the waiting period for major dental work?
- Do dental plans cover implants?
- What's the difference between a dental PPO and a DHMO?
