Best Dental Insurance in Wisconsin: Plan Review and Comparison

Looking for the best dental insurance in Wisconsin?

Finding the right dental insurance plan in Wisconsin might be tricky because there are so many choices available. Getting the correct dental insurance, on the other hand, may lower your out-of-pocket dental spending, so it's well worth the time to carefully investigate your options.

In this guide, we've compiled information on the various dental insurance plans in Wisconsin, including the following topics:

• What types of dental plans are available in Wisconsin
• What features you should consider when purchasing dental insurance
• Individual and family dental insurance
• Dental insurance for seniors
• Dental insurance in Wisconsin with no waiting period

After reading this article, we hope you will be able to choose the best dental insurance for you.

Common types of dental insurance in Wisconsin

PPO plans: The most common type of dental insurance plan is a PPO. A dental PPO will give you a wide choice of in-network dentists. You can go to a dentist who isn't in the network if you choose, but it will be more costly and you'll probably have to fill out extra claim forms.

PPOs are the most expensive kind of dental insurance in Wisconsin, but they also provide the best coverage.

DHMO plans: The DHMO is another dental plan option. If you're on a lower budget and don't need the flexibility that a PPO provides, this is a nice option. But you must pick a primary care dentist who is part of the provider network.

Dental discount plans: A dental discount plan, often known as a dental savings plan, isn't the same thing as dental insurance. It's more like a membership program. You pay an annual fee to become a member and obtain a dental discount card that entitles you to cheaper dental care pricing.

Instead of filing insurance paperwork, you'll just pay the dentist directly. When it comes to dental coverage, it's unquestionably the most straightforward option.

Important dental plan features

You may be obsessed with getting the cheapest dental insurance in Wisconsin, but don't forget to factor in other costs and the waiting time.

Cost

When calculating the cost of a dental insurance plan in Wisconsin, take into account all the factors that contribute to the total cost.

These are some of them:

• Premium: Depending on the provider, the premium is a fixed sum that you must pay monthly or yearly. Even if you do not file a claim, you must pay this amount.

• Deductible: This is the amount you'll have to pay out of pocket before your insurance kicks in and pays a percentage of the overall amount owing for services.

• Copayment: Each time you visit the dentist, you may be required to pay a sum or a percentage of the entire cost of services.

• Maximum limit: This is the maximum amount a dental insurance policy will pay out, either on an annual or lifetime basis. You're accountable for anything beyond that amount after you've reached it.

Coverage

It’s wise to consider what sort of coverage you will need when you investigate the dental insurance plans in Wisconsin. Dental insurance policies often vary significantly in terms of price and coverage.

If you know you'll need orthodontic treatments, dental implants, or teeth whitening, you'll want to choose a dental insurance plan that covers part or all of these costs. It will be worthwhile for you if you can discover a plan that covers these treatments because they can be very expensive.

Waiting period

Many dental insurance plans have no waiting period between when you sign up for coverage and when you see a dentist for treatment. But most of the major treatments, like crowns, bridges, and implants, require you to wait a set amount of time.

If you know you'll need dental treatment right away, search for dental plans with no waiting period. Otherwise, you risk paying a premium for insurance that you won't use and having to pay for treatments out of pocket.

Specific dental insurance plans

Not all dental insurance plans are created equal, and a plan that works for someone else may not be a fit for you. You have to find a dental plan that matches your requirements.

Dental insurance for seniors

Dental insurance for seniors is similar to that for younger people, with the distinction that it concentrates on the coverage that seniors are more likely to need. Examples of these treatments are crowns, root canals, dentures, and tooth replacements.

Although seniors are not the only ones who need these services, they are the ones who are most likely to require them.

Health and dental insurance

Dental insurance has long been independent of medical insurance; nonetheless, some healthcare providers still provide both types of coverage. Purchasing them together often saves you money on your dental expenses. 

Comparison of the best dental plans in Wisconsin

If you don't qualify for low-income dental insurance, check out the private dental insurance plans available in Wisconsin. Each dental insurance company has its own set of advantages. We've compiled a list of Wisconsin's best dental insurance plans so you can start evaluating your alternatives.

MetLife

MetLife offers three PPO plans in Wisconsin. These dental plans provide you with a lot of freedom since most procedures are covered at the same percentage whether you go to an in-network or out-of-network dentist.

MetLife TakeAlong Dental Low Plan

MetLife’s most affordable dental insurance plan in Wisconsin provides you with a $750 annual maximum per person. A $75 yearly deductible will be charged per person, and $225 per family.

Preventive treatments, like exams, cleanings, and x-rays, are covered completely regardless of whether you see an in-network or out-of-network dentist, and there is no waiting period. Basic services, such as fillings and extractions, are covered at 50% after a 6-month waiting period.

MetLife TakeAlong Dental Medium Plan

This dental insurance plan provides higher coverage and higher annual maximums than the Low Plan. The yearly maximum is $1,500 per year, and basic services such as fillings and extractions are covered at 70% after a 6-month waiting period. Crowns, root canals, dentures, deep cleanings, and implants are covered by 50–70%.

MetLife TakeAlong Dental High Plan

MetLife's High Plan gives you an annual maximum benefit of $2,000. In addition, you can get a child orthodontia lifetime maximum of $1,000. Like the two other plans, preventive services are fully covered with no waiting period.

Basic services are covered by 80% after a 6-month waiting period. Major services, such as crowns, root canals, dentures, deep cleanings, implants, and braces, are covered by 50-80% after a 12-month waiting time.

The premium for this dental plan is the most expensive. However, the coverage is much better than with the cheaper plans. It can be an ideal choice if you know you will require major treatments in the future or if your child requires dental insurance that covers braces.

Delta Dental

Delta Dental of Wisconsin provides a wide range of plans, including dental insurance plans with no waiting period.

Delta Dental “Clear Plan”

You have fixed copayments with this dental plan, so you can budget ahead of time and know how much procedures will cost. This dental insurance plan also has no waiting periods, no deductibles, and no annual maximum benefits.

Office visits are fully covered and don’t require a copayment. All other treatments have a fixed copayment that you have to pay. For example, a cleaning will cost you $65, and a filling has a set fee of $115.

Delta Dental Individual & Family High Plan

This dental plan works differently than the above-mentioned. With this Wisconsin family dental insurance plan, you have coverage percentages instead of fixed copayments.

The annual maximum is $1,000 per person per year. You will be charged an annual deductible, which is set at $35 per person and $105 for the whole family. The deductible does not apply to diagnostic and preventive services such as x-rays and cleanings.

Delta Dental Individual & Family Low Plan

When purchasing this dental insurance plan, you’ll get comparable benefits to those previously mentioned. The monthly premium is lower, but the deductible is higher ($90 per person, $270 for the whole family). Unlike the High plan, the deductible will not be waived for preventive and diagnostic services.

If your teeth are in good shape and you've required minimal treatments in the past, it’s better to go with the low plan. The high plan is the better choice if you go to the dentist often.

Delta Dental Ultimate Plan

This dental insurance plan rewards loyal members. During the first three years of plan membership, the annual maximum benefit increases, while the amount you pay for covered services decreases.

The yearly maximum is $750 in year one, $1,500 in year two, and in year three the annual maximum is unlimited. There is a $50 deductible, but it will be waived for diagnostic and preventive services. This is a dental insurance plan with no waiting periods.

Delta Dental also provides vision plans, allowing you to combine your dental and vision insurance into one policy. However, in this article, we'll only cover details about Wisconsin dental insurance plans.

Anthem BlueCross BlueShield

The dental insurance provider, BlueCross BlueShield, offers a range of different PPO plans in Wisconsin.

Bronze Plan

Exams, cleanings, and x-rays are fully covered at in-network dentists and up to 80% covered at out-of-network dentists. After a 3-month waiting period, fillings and extractions are covered at 50% in-network and 50% out of network. With this Wisconsin dental insurance plan, you’ll get a $1,000 yearly maximum. There’s a $50 deductible to pay; however, this doesn’t apply to preventive and diagnostic services.

Silver Plan

This dental insurance plan gives you full coverage for preventive services, whether you go to an in-network or out-of-network dentist. All basic and major services, such as deep cleanings, dentures, root canals, crowns, and extractions, are covered by 50% in-network as well as out-of-network.

Incentive Plan

This Wisconsin dental insurance plan works differently from the other BlueCross BlueShield plans. It gives you a generous $2,500 yearly maximum and a $1,000-lifetime benefit for orthodontic services. Preventive services are fully covered. All other treatments are covered at a rate of 30–80% after the deductible.

The coverage increases from year one to three. So the longer you stay on the plan, the better the rewards. This is also the only BlueCross BlueShield plan that covers teeth whitening.

Get a quote for insurance near you

We know it can be difficult to wade through the plethora of plan options. That's why we've created this easy-to-use insurance comparison tool. Just enter your DOB and zipcode, and in seconds you'll see the best plans in your area.

Conclusion

There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all dental insurance plan because everyone's needs are unique.

Young people's dental needs are different from those of the elderly. As a result, there is specific dental insurance coverage for seniors. Depending on your needs, you may also want to choose a combination plan, such as dental and health insurance or dental and vision insurance.

We investigated the most popular dental insurance plans in Wisconsin and checked their availability in major cities such as Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, and Kenosha.

However, depending on where you live, many other dental insurance carriers, such as Humana, Guardian Direct, Careington, Ameritas, Renaissance Dental, NCD Dental, or Nationwide may be available.

Dentalinsurance.com can assist you in selecting the best dental insurance for your specific requirements. By entering your ZIP code and date of birth, you may compare the top dental insurance plans in Wisconsin. To get started, just click the button below.

If you want to read about the best insurance options in any other state, please select from the list below.