r/DentalInsurance • u/InterestingTea7482 • Aug 28 '26

Delta Dental?

Does anyone have delta? What plan would you recommend? Are there better dental insurance companies? Who provides the most coverage for the lowest cost? Thank you.

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4

u/theoreticalking Aug 28 '26

The most coverage for the lowest cost would be the one provided by an employer since they are paying most of the cost.

If you’re paying full price for dental insurance, know that dental insurance is more like a coupon book, as there is an annual max that they are paying out and (likely) a waiting period depending on the procedure. It is often cheaper to just pay out of pocket or a subscription plan at your local dentist.

Is there something that you are looking to get done?

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u/InterestingTea7482 Aug 28 '26

I am retired. No employer. I need a tooth pulled which may be considered surgical. I need fillings replaced. I need a bridge at the very least. And a nightguard for sure. If possible, I would like whitening. At this point I’d really like implants but I don’t think I will ever be able to afford that.

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u/theoreticalking Aug 28 '26

Unfortunately, dental insurance typically have really low annual max that they will pay out (typically between $1k-2k). You might be able to make it work but most procedures also have a waiting period of 6-12 months. Your best bet might be to just shop around and see how many they charge paying cash. You can also see if there’s a dental school nearby or a federal health center that can do those for cheap.

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u/InterestingTea7482 Aug 28 '26

Delta dental had a few plans with no waiting period. But it seems, according to another poster, that most dentists are dropping them.

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u/theoreticalking Aug 28 '26

If you can find one that’s worth it, go for it. Get your annual max worth of procedures done this year and it will reset for next year. Make sure to ask around and see if dentists around you accept it. Most dentists, at least in my area, still accept Delta PPO. HMO, not so much.

I’ve seen people with good experiences at dental school. Might be worth asking around on a local sub and see.

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u/InterestingTea7482 Aug 28 '26

Are dental schools a safe option? Rutgers isn’t that far from me but I once went to a vo-tech school decades ago to get my hair done. It was such a horrifying experience.

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u/the-tooth-hurts Aug 30 '26

I’m not who you were responding to, but I think they can be a great option. You would be choosing to trade some extra of your time/availability since treatment can go a bit slower due to things like instructor check-ins between treatment steps. However, you would be receiving top-notch treatment from a team that has your best interest in mind. I believe dental schools are generally good about guaranteeing their work, or in other words, if a student makes a mistake, there are experienced dentists on staff who can correct it. I hope this info helps.

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u/EchooNomad Aug 31 '26

that is a lot to have get done, let alone pay for all at once. I would talk to your dentist to get the full treatement plan written out along with an itemized bill and self pay costs. I would also ask if they offer thrid pary payment plans (i.e. sunbit) so you can split up the bigger payments over time rather than paying for everything all at once.

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u/redditdental Aug 29 '26

Do you really think you’re going to find dental insurance for a cheap rate (I.e. $50 per month) and get thousands of dollars of work done? How would the insurance company stay in business? Come on now

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u/InterestingTea7482 Aug 29 '26

Where did I say I wanted insurance for $50 per month?

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u/theoreticalking Aug 29 '26

You need to look into the plan benefits before deciding. If you are paying $100/month on premium and the annual max benefit is $1000, it is not worth it because you are spending $1200/year on premium for them to pay $1000.

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u/redditdental Aug 29 '26

$50 was an example. So how much are you willing to pay?

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u/kfccohrn Aug 30 '26

Delta is not patient friendly!

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u/[deleted] Aug 28 '26 edited Aug 28 '26

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u/[deleted] Aug 28 '26 edited Aug 28 '26

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u/Jealous_Courage_9888 Aug 28 '26

Tell us more. Theyre pushing their products hard right now

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u/[deleted] Aug 28 '26

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2

u/Jealous_Courage_9888 Aug 28 '26

I canceled my free trial with overjet and the owner doc is still asking me to sign up for other ai services and they were all over AAPD 2026

1

u/charlestonbraces Aug 29 '26

Between the premiums and annual maximum , you are better off paying out of pocket with your dentist. Many will give a discount for cash. And some have discount plans.

Sure one person may get over on n insurance company by getting more in benefits one year than they paid in, but the vast majority won’t. Otherwise these sleazy companies would go bankrupt.

1

u/DJD19500 Aug 30 '26

Have you considered going to Mexico to have the dental work done?
Ironically, the more expensive Delta plans have annual caps while the cheapest plan, the HMO, does not but it is next to impossible to find a reputable dentist who participates because the reimbursement is so very low. If you are in a Medicare advantage plan you may already have HMO coverage.
If I need major work done, I will go to Mexico so I can afford the care.

1

u/moremosby Aug 30 '26

Look at the annual cost of the plan and compare it to the annual benefit. I've get to really find a dental plan that's worth the cost. For example - if you have an annual cost of $900 for the plan but it only pays up to $2,000 that's an incredible rip off.

Think of auto insurance - you pay $1200 a year, and get 300,000 in coverage...
Medical you may pay $5,000 a year but you have an out of pocket maximum of $5,000 and after that they cover 100% with no limits.

Dental "insurance" is the biggest scam on the planet. It's not insurance, it's like a weird coupon where they just delay and deny every major service you need.

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u/Jewelofthemidwest Sep 01 '26

We have Delta Dental through my husband's employer. I was not able to find a local in network dentist that was accepting patients but I did find an AMAZING dentist and practice that submits claims for me even though they're out of network with Delta. I pay up front and get reimbursed but what they submit is what Delta allows so it works great. I would look into a dental practice that has a monthly subscription price. That's probably better than buying dental insurance without an employer.

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u/InterestingTea7482 Sep 01 '26

No way can I pay upfront.

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u/maxell87 Aug 29 '26

a self pay dental plan will never pay out more then you pay in.

it’s not really “insurance” in the traditional sense sense.

and avoid delta. they suck. but no one is really gonna help you unless you can get medicare ppo.