10 Best Dental Insurance for Seniors​

💡 Key Takeaways

• Does Original Medicare cover dental cleanings, fillings, or dentures? No. Original Medicare (Parts A and B) does not cover routine dental care such as exams, cleanings, or fillings. It only covers dental procedures if they are medically necessary as part of another treatment.
• What is the fastest way to get dental coverage without waiting periods? Spirit Dental and Ameritas PrimeStar both offer immediate coverage for major procedures with no waiting periods.
• How much do seniors typically pay out of pocket without insurance? About half of Medicare beneficiaries who received dental care paid an average of $874 out of pocket, and 20% paid more than $1,000 in a single year.
• What is a realistic monthly premium range for senior dental insurance? Expect to pay between $11 and $70 per month, with most comprehensive plans averaging around $40.
• Is a dental discount plan the same as dental insurance? No. Discount plans charge a membership fee and give you reduced rates at participating dentists — no claims, no annual maximums, no waiting periods. They serve a very different purpose.
• Can I use Medicare Advantage dental coverage and a standalone plan together? No. You cannot use two separate policies for the same procedure. Choose the plan that best covers your specific expected needs.
• What is the biggest hidden trap in dental insurance for seniors? Annual maximums that have barely changed since the 1980s — most policies cap at $1,000–$1,500 even as a single crown can now cost $1,500–$3,000 on its own.

Medicare Has a Dental Black Hole — and It Is Making Seniors Physically Sick

Before choosing a plan, you need to understand exactly how deep the Medicare dental gap is — because it is far more dangerous than most people realize.

In 2022, only 63.7% of adults age 65 and older had a dental visit in the past 12 months. Dental visits were higher among older adults with dental coverage (69.6%) compared with those without dental coverage (56.4%). That 13-point gap represents millions of people who simply stopped going to the dentist once their coverage disappeared at retirement.

And the consequences extend well past the mouth. The American Association of Periodontology, the NIH, and the CDC have all documented that untreated gum disease is linked to higher rates of heart attack, stroke, diabetes complications, and respiratory disease — conditions that will cost Medicare far more to treat downstream than a cleaning would have cost upfront.

The incidence of oral and oropharyngeal cancer increases with age, with 80% of people diagnosed being older than age 55. The American Cancer Society estimated 58,450 new cases in 2024 alone. Regular dental visits are one of the few ways these cancers are caught early — and seniors without insurance stop going.

A 2025 study published in JAMA Health Forum found that restrictive characteristics of Medicare Advantage dental plans are associated with greater unmet dental need and financial barriers to care, and that increasing annual plan maximums or eliminating them entirely could decrease unmet dental need. In other words, even the coverage that exists is frequently too limited to do its job.

1. Spirit Dental — Best Overall for Seniors Who Refuse to Be Boxed In

Spirit Dental has earned its top ranking among senior dental insurance options by doing something almost no other provider does: it imposes absolutely no network restrictions on most plans, meaning you can walk into your existing dentist’s office the very next day after enrolling.

Premiums start at roughly $18.30 per month and climb to around $47.75 per month for the highest-tier Pinnacle PPO 5000 plan, which offers a $5,000 annual maximum benefit — one of the highest caps in the standalone dental insurance market.

Every Spirit plan includes two free exams and three annual cleanings (most competitors only include two), and coverage improves meaningfully each year you stay enrolled, reaching up to 100% coverage for basic procedures by the third year. The company also covers dental implants on applicable plans, which is genuinely rare among standalone insurers.

The honest drawback: Spirit’s network is built on the Ameritas Dental Network with approximately 136,000 providers nationwide — far smaller than competitors like Aetna or Delta Dental. In rural areas or smaller cities, finding an in-network provider may require some effort.

Spirit Dental is not available in Washington State.

2. Humana — Best for Seniors Who Expect to Need Extensive Work Over Time

Humana’s dental lineup is one of the most strategically designed sets of plans for seniors in the market, specifically because of how dramatically benefits improve the longer you stay enrolled. The Loyalty Plus plan starts at roughly $41.99 per month and cuts your cost share for basic procedures from 60% down to 30% over your first three years — meaning the longer you are a customer, the cheaper major work becomes.

For seniors who are retired and planning ahead for significant dental work over the next several years, this loyalty structure is genuinely financially powerful. The Preventive Value plan is even more remarkable: it offers unlimited coverage for basic procedures, which is practically unheard of in the dental insurance industry.

Humana’s network exceeds 333,000 dental care providers nationwide, making it one of the most accessible options for seniors regardless of location.

The honest drawback: Humana does not cover dental implants on most of its standard plans, and the more comprehensive Complete Dental plan carries a 6-month waiting period for basic services and a 12-month wait for major procedures.

3. Aetna Dental — Best for Seniors Transitioning Off Employer Coverage

Aetna is one of the largest insurance companies in the United States, which matters in two specific ways for seniors: its network of over 420,000 providers is one of the biggest in the country, and its ClaimConnect system recognizes that older adults may be more comfortable calling in claims rather than filing them online.

Plans start at roughly $43.98 per month for the most comprehensive tiers. All plans cover preventive care at 100%. If you’ve had dental insurance within the past 90 days, Aetna waives all waiting periods — a critical advantage for anyone transitioning directly from employer dental coverage into retirement.

Aetna also coordinates exceptionally well with Medicare Advantage plans, which matters if you are enrolled in both or considering a switch.

The honest drawback: Aetna does not cover dental implants, cosmetic work, or general anesthesia on its standalone plans — significant limitations for older adults who frequently need exactly those services. Out-of-network costs are also considerably higher than in-network rates.

4. Delta Dental — Best for Seniors Who Prioritize Finding an In-Network Dentist Anywhere

Delta Dental operates the largest dental network in the United States, period. With plans starting at just $17.32 per month, it also comes in as one of the most affordable standalone options available to seniors in 2025.

The staggering network breadth — exceeding all competitors — makes Delta Dental uniquely valuable for seniors who travel extensively, split time between residences (snowbirds, for example), or live in areas where finding dental providers can be difficult.

Delta Dental offers PPO and HMO-style plans in most states and even provides a pre-treatment estimate tool that tells you exactly what your plan will pay for a procedure before you commit to having it done. This is one of the most underused and genuinely useful tools in dental insurance, and almost no other carrier offers it so accessibly.

The honest drawback: Delta Dental’s coverage tiers and plan names vary significantly by state because Delta Dental is technically a federation of independent member companies. What “Delta Dental PPO” covers in Texas may differ meaningfully from what it covers in Ohio. Always verify your specific state’s plan details.

5. Cigna Dental — Best for Seniors Who Want Affordability and Simplicity

Cigna traces its roots to 1792, giving it over 230 years of financial stability — and its AM Best rating of “A” for financial strength means your coverage is extremely unlikely to disappear on you. Cigna’s dental plans start at around $19 per month, making them one of the most budget-friendly entry points in the market.

Cigna’s network exceeds 310,000 locations nationally, and the company recently rebranded its Medicare Advantage dental business as HealthSpring for 2026, which now covers an average of more than nine comprehensive dental services per plan. About 94% of comprehensive dental services from in-network providers come with a $0 copay in 2025.

One useful and often overlooked feature: Cigna allows seniors to add vision and hearing coverage as a bundle starting at around $32 per month — a meaningful value for older adults dealing with the full spectrum of age-related sensory changes.

The honest drawback: Deductibles can reach $250 on some Cigna plans, compared to competitors like Aetna where deductibles cap at $50. Cigna also has a 12-month waiting period for major services like implants. Implants are subject to a $2,000 lifetime maximum.

6. Ameritas PrimeStar — Best for Seniors Who Need Coverage to Start Immediately

Ameritas is the plan that solves one of the most urgent and painful problems seniors face: needing dental work right now with no time to wait out a 6- or 12-month holding period. Ameritas PrimeStar offers day-one coverage with zero waiting periods for any service, including major procedures.

The annual maximum starts at $2,500 in the first year and increases to $3,000 in the second year — higher than most competitors in this price range. Three plan tiers (Lite, Boost, and Complete) allow seniors to match their specific needs and budget with precision, and preventive care is covered at 100% across all plans.

Ameritas PPO plans access a large national network, and the company has a strong reputation in the insurance industry for straightforward claims processing.

The honest drawback: Ameritas is somewhat less well-known as a consumer brand than Aetna, Cigna, or Humana, which can make it harder to find reviews or community feedback. It is also not available in every state, so confirm availability in your ZIP code before enrolling.

7. Mutual of Omaha Dental — Best for Seniors Who Want Guaranteed Acceptance With No Medical Questions

Founded in 1909, Mutual of Omaha is one of the most trusted insurance names in American history, and its dental plans reflect that heritage with a feature that matters enormously for older adults: guaranteed acceptance. No medical underwriting, no health questions, no risk of being denied because of your dental history.

Mutual of Omaha’s dental plans carry no waiting periods for basic care, and coverage improves progressively over three years, reaching 100% coverage for basic procedures by the third year. The company also has a network exceeding 400,000 dental providers — one of the largest among all standalone dental insurers for seniors.

Premiums are higher than Spirit Dental’s entry-level options but comparable to Aetna’s, which is reasonable given the guaranteed acceptance feature.

The honest drawback: Mutual of Omaha dental plans are not available in 14 states as of 2025, including California, New York, Illinois, Colorado, and several others. Verify availability in your state before pursuing this option.

8. Guardian Dental Direct — Best for Seniors Who Want a Diminishing Deductible That Rewards Loyalty

Guardian Insurance, founded in 1860, offers something that most seniors have never heard of in a dental plan: a diminishing deductible feature. Every year you stay enrolled, your deductible decreases. For seniors on fixed incomes who plan to maintain continuous coverage, this is a genuinely meaningful long-term cost reduction that compounds over time.

Guardian’s Diamond Dental Plan carries an annual maximum of $1,500, which is in line with the industry average. Preventive care is covered at 100%, basic services at 80% (after a 30-day waiting period), and major services at 50% after the standard 12-month period.

The network is robust and Guardian has one of the strongest financial stability ratings in the industry.

The honest drawback: Guardian’s highest annual maximum of $1,500 is lower than competitors like Spirit, Ameritas, or Denali. There is no option to waive waiting periods even if you are switching from another plan, which is a notable gap compared to Aetna and Ameritas.

9. Denali Dental — Best for Seniors Who Want the Highest Annual Maximum Available

Denali Dental occupies a truly distinct niche: it offers an annual maximum benefit of up to $6,000 — significantly higher than virtually any other senior dental plan on the market. For older adults who expect significant dental work (full mouth reconstruction, multiple implants, extensive crown work), this upper limit is transformative.

Both the Denali Ridge and Summit plans cover 100% of preventive services, allow four annual cleanings per year (the most of any plan reviewed here), and carry only a single lifetime deductible rather than an annual one. No waiting periods apply.

Denali uses the Renaissance network with over 300,000 dental access points and 98,000 vision access points nationwide, and both plans allow out-of-network providers with savings of up to 50% by staying in-network.

The honest drawback: Denali is only available in 37 states and Washington, D.C. It also tends to have higher premiums than entry-level plans from Spirit or Humana. For seniors who need only routine care, the cost-to-benefit ratio may not pencil out.

10. UnitedHealthcare Dental — Best for Seniors Who Want the Lowest Entry-Level Premium

UnitedHealthcare is the biggest provider of Medicare Advantage plans in the U.S., with a presence in 48 states and Washington, D.C. Its standalone dental plans start at a remarkable $11 per month — the lowest of any major senior dental insurer reviewed here — making it the only truly accessible option for seniors on the tightest fixed incomes.

UHC’s dental network exceeds 100,000 in-network providers on standalone plans, and its Medicare Advantage dental plans average more than eight covered dental services per plan in 2025. The partnership with AARP also makes AARP-branded UHC dental plans one of the most recognized and easily accessible options for seniors who already have a relationship with AARP.

The honest drawback: UHC’s standalone dental plans have no age limits but their annual maximums on entry-level plans are modest. On the Medicare Advantage dental side, only 64% of UHC plans offered comprehensive dental coverage in 2025, the lowest percentage among major Medicare Advantage providers — so you must confirm the specific plan’s dental scope before enrolling.

The One Number That Makes Most Senior Dental Plans Quietly Useless

Here is the most critical piece of information buried in nearly every dental insurance comparison — and almost nobody says it plainly enough.

Annual maximums have not kept pace with actual dental costs. A 2025 analysis from the National Dental Association found that the average $1,000–$1,500 annual maximum on most dental plans was set in the 1980s and has never been meaningfully adjusted for inflation. Meanwhile, a single dental crown now routinely costs $1,500–$3,000, a root canal runs $1,000–$2,000, and a full set of dentures can reach $3,000–$6,500.

The reality is most dental insurance plans haven’t adjusted their coverage to reflect the cost of inflation. The insurance maximum in one of today’s policies is about the same as it was in the 1980s.

This means that if you need one serious procedure in a year, your plan’s annual maximum may be entirely exhausted by that single procedure — leaving you exposed for everything else. The plans with the highest maximums (Denali at $6,000, Spirit at $5,000 on the top tier) and the ones with no annual limits (Humana’s Preventive Value plan) are therefore not luxuries. For seniors with multiple dental needs, they are the only plans that actually protect you financially.

Here Is What Nobody Tells Seniors About Dental Discount Plans — They Are Not Insurance

A dental discount plan — offered by companies like Careington (starting at $14.95/month) and DentalPlans.com — is fundamentally different from insurance. It is a membership that gives you pre-negotiated reduced rates at participating dentists. You pay the discounted price directly at the time of service. There are no claims, no annual maximums, no waiting periods, and no deductibles.

Careington offers savings of over 60% on dental services like implants, crowns, root canals, veneers, and dentures, with no deductibles or coverage limits to worry about.

Discount plans are not a replacement for dental insurance for most seniors — but they are extraordinarily useful in two specific scenarios. First, if you have exhausted your insurance annual maximum and still need additional work in the same calendar year, a discount plan covers the rest without any cap. Second, if you are in otherwise excellent dental health and only need preventive care, a discount plan’s low monthly cost and no-cap structure can outperform insurance mathematically.

You cannot use both a discount plan and insurance for the same procedure, but you absolutely can use them sequentially in a single year to cover costs that your insurance annual maximum left behind.