DentaQuest Dental Insurance Review

Selecting a dental insurance provider for yourself and your family is a major decision. This DentaQuest dental insurance review will help you decide if the coverage offered meets your needs. Learn the pros and cons of DentaQuest Dental Insurance, as well as pricing, coverage, availability and more.

Best for flexible plans

DentaQuest is committed to oral health care transformation by expanding access to dental care insurance. It offers prevention-focused oral health plans that cover 100% of all preventive and diagnostic services.

Notably, there are many flexible plans to choose from. Depending on your needs, you can find plans with comprehensive coverage, low deductibles or high coverage limits. Some plans are designed for patients with excellent health who only need basic care. Others are appropriate for those who have oral health complications and need more comprehensive coverage.

DentaQuest dental coverage pros and cons

Pros

• Affordable premiums

• Orthodontic coverage

Cons

• Low customer ratings

• No out-of-network services covered

• Long waiting periods

Pros explained

Premiums at affordable rates

DentaQuest dental insurance premiums are some of the most affordable on the market. Rates start at just $8 a month in some states. Even the most affordable plans cover 100% of all preventive and diagnostic services.

Offers orthodontic coverage

DentaQuest dental insurance offers both personal and marketplace plans that include orthodontic coverage for both children and adults. Orthodontic coverage isn’t covered under many personal dental insurance plans from other providers. If you expect to need this coverage, DentaQuest may have a plan that’s right for you.

Cons Explained

Low customer ratings

DentaQuest dental insurance has low customer satisfaction ratings across multiple online customer review forums. A recurring complaint is that DentaQuest customer service is unresponsive and unhelpful.

DentaQuest has a 1 out of 5 stars customer review rating from the Better Business Bureau, which gives it a C+ based on the company’s responsiveness to customer complaints. It has a 1.3 out of 5 stars rating on Trustpilot.

Doesn’t cover any services out-of-network

Under some of its plans, DentaQuest doesn’t cover any services covered by out-of-network oral health centers. Other plans only cover care performed by out-of-network providers in certain states.

When out-of-network providers are covered, the coverage is limited. DentaQuest pays the same percentage that it pays for in-network care, but the patient is responsible for the difference between the amount that the provider bills DentaQuest and the amount they charge self-pay customers. This often leaves the patient responsible for a sizable portion of the bill.

Has long waiting periods

Many of DentaQuest’s dental insurance plans include long waiting periods for all care other than diagnostic and preventive services. Most personal plans have an 18-month waiting period for complex services.

If you need any restorative or complex services performed right away, you may want to shop around for a provider that offers full dental benefits without a long waiting period.

DentaQuest dental insurance plans and offerings

DentaQuest offers five different personal plans and four marketplace plans to choose from. Marketplace plans are available on HealthCare.gov, a health insurance marketplace run by the federal government. DentaQuest categorizes dental services into three types: preventive or diagnostic, restorative and complex.

• Preventive or diagnostic services: includes exams, X-rays and cleanings, including fluoride treatments and sealants for pediatric patients

• Restorative services: includes fillings, simple extractions and emergency services for pain relief

• Complex services: includes root canals, dentures or bridge repairs and surgical extractions

DentaQuest dental plans

All DentaQuest personal dental insurance plans include two dental exams and yearly cleanings and cover dependents up to age 26. There is never a waiting period for preventive or diagnostic care.

Below are DentaQuest’s available dental plans.

Personal Dental Preventive Plan

The Personal Dental Preventive Plan is DentaQuest’s most affordable personal dental insurance plan. There is no annual benefit limit. This plan covers all preventive and diagnostic services at no cost to you, but it does not cover restorative or complex services or orthodontics.

Personal Dental Plan Basic

DentaQuest’s Personal Dental Plan Basic has a $1,000 annual benefit limit per member. For restorative services, there is a deductible of $50 per individual and $150 per family.

Like the Personal Dental Preventive Plan, it offers no-cost preventive and diagnostic services. For restorative services, you pay 50% of the cost after your deductible.

Personal Dental Plan Plus

The Personal Dental Plan Plus has a $1,250 annual benefit limit per member. For restorative and complex services, there is a deductible of $100 per individual and $300 per family. Personal Dental Plan Plus offers the following coverage but no orthodontics:

• Preventive and diagnostic services: You pay 0%.

• Restorative services: You pay 50% after reaching your deductible.

• Complex services: You pay 70% after reaching your deductible.

Personal Dental Plan Comprehensive with Ortho 1500

DentaQuest’s Personal Dental Plan Comprehensive with Ortho 1500 has no waiting periods for most care, but there is a 12-month waiting period for orthodontic services. There is also no deductible for preventive and diagnostic care, and all other services have a deductible of $50 per individual and $150 per family.

Lastly, there is a $1500 annual benefit max per member and a separate $1,500 lifetime benefit max per member for orthodontic services.

This plan offers:

• Preventive and diagnostic services: You pay 0%.

• Restorative services: You pay 20% after deductible.

• Complex services: You pay 50% after deductible.

• Orthodontics: You pay 50% after deductible.

Personal Dental Plan Comprehensive with Ortho 2000

Under this plan, there is a six-month waiting period for restorative services and a 12-month waiting period for complex and orthodontic services. There is no deductible for preventive and diagnostic care. All other services have a deductible of $50 per individual and $150 per family.

Lastly, there is a $2,000 annual benefit max per member and a separate $1,500 lifetime benefit max per member for orthodontic services.

This plan supplies the following coverage:

• Preventive and diagnostic services: You pay 0%.

• Restorative services: You pay 50% after deductible.

• Complex services: You pay 50% after deductible.

• Orthodontics: You pay 50% after deductible.

DentaQuest Marketplace Dental Plans

DentaQuest’s marketplace plans are available on the federally facilitated marketplace. Marketplace plans are available in the following states:

• Arizona

• Florida

• Georgia

• Illinois

• Indiana

• Louisiana

• Missouri

• Ohio

• Pennsylvania

• Tennessee

• Texas

• Virginia

PPO Individual Family High

This plan has a six-month waiting period for restorative services for adult patients aged 19 and over. Complex services have a 12-month waiting period. For restorative and complex services, there is a deductible of $50 per individual and $150 per family.

For pediatric patients, those under 19 years old, the annual out-of-pocket maximum is $350. The family out-of-pocket maximum is $700 per year. For adult patients, the annual coverage limit is $1,500 per person. Out-of-network coverage is limited.

The PPO Individual Family High Plan supplies the following coverage:

• Preventive and diagnostic services: You pay 0%.

• Restorative services: You pay 20% after deductible.

• Complex services: You pay 50% after deductible.

• Orthodontics: For pediatric patients, you pay 50%. There is no coverage for adult patients.

PPO Individual Family Low

This plan has a six-month waiting period for restorative services for adult patients. Complex services have a 12-month waiting period. For restorative and complex services, there is a deductible of $100 per individual and $300 per family.

For pediatric patients, the annual out-of-pocket maximum is $350. The family out-of-pocket maximum is $700 per year. For adult patients, the annual coverage limit is $1,000 per person. Out-of-network coverage is limited.

The PPO Individual Family Low plan supplies the following coverage:

• Preventive and diagnostic services: You pay 0%.

• Restorative services: You pay 60% for pediatric patients and 50% for adult patients after deductible.

• Complex services: You pay 60% for pediatric patients and 50% for adult patients after deductible.

• Orthodontics: For pediatric patients, you pay 60%. There is no coverage for adult patients.

Individual Family Preventive

This plan supplies no out-of-network coverage, so you’ll have to use DentaQuest providers. For restorative and complex services, there is a deductible of $50 per individual and $150 per family. For individual pediatric patients, the annual out-of-pocket maximum is $350. For families with more than one child, the annual combined out-of-pocket maximum is $700.

The Individual Family Preventive plan supplies the following coverage:

• Preventive and diagnostic services: You pay 0%.

• Restorative services: You pay 20% after deductible.

• Complex services: You pay 50% after deductible.

• Orthodontics: You pay 50%.

PPO Individual Pediatric High

This plan offers limited out-of-network coverage. For restorative and complex services, there is a deductible of $50 per individual and $150 per family. For individual pediatric patients, the annual out-of-pocket maximum is $350. The family out-of-pocket maximum is $700 per year.

The PPO Individual Pediatric High plan offers the following coverage:

• Preventive and diagnostic services: You pay 0%.

• Restorative services: You pay 20% after deductible.

• Complex services: You pay 50% after deductible.

• Orthodontics: You pay 50%.

DentaQuest dental insurance pricing

DentaQuest dental insurance premium costs vary by state. To find out what premiums cost where you live, you can search DentaQuest plans by state or zip code on the company’s website.

Below are three examples of DentaQuest personal plan monthly premiums for one person living in Florida, Texas and Illinois.

Orlando, Florida

• Personal Dental Plan: $8

• Personal Dental Plan Basic: $12

• Personal Dental Plan Plus: $14

San Antonio, Texas

• Personal Dental Plan: $15

• Personal Dental Plan Basic: $20

• Personal Dental Plan Plus: $22.38

Chicago, Illinois

• Personal Dental Plan: $21

• Personal Dental Plan Basic: $32

• Personal Dental Plan Plus: $42

DentaQuest financial stability

DentaQuest is financially stable, indicating its ability to pay your claims. Its parent company, SunLife, has an A+ rating from AM Best and an AA rating from Standard and Poor’s. AM Best and Standard and Poor’s are both reputable credit rating agencies.

DentaQuest accessibility

Availability

DentaQuest is available in 39 states and the District of Columbia, and you can look up dentists and specialists in your area online using DentaQuest’s provider network list. But note that plan availability varies by state. On the other hand, marketplace plans are only available in 12 states.

Contact information

You can send a message to DentaQuest through a form on the site. The DentaQuest contact phone number is 800-417-7140. There is a dedicated line for the deaf and hard of hearing.

User experience

Users can access a member portal through the DentaQuest website. You can use the portal to check your benefits, download your ID card, find a provider and contact DentaQuest customer service.

Identification cards are available online or in the app within one to two days of enrolling. Physical cards are usually received in the mail within 10 business days.

Unfortunately, many users report problems logging into their online accounts. There are also many complaints of poor customer service and difficulty getting dental services covered by DentaQuest.

DentaQuest customer satisfaction

DentaQuest customer satisfaction is low. DentaQuest’s Better Business Bureau profile features 64 customer reviews, and each one rates DentaQuest with 1 out of 5 stars. The site also has received 120 DentaQuest complaints in the past three years.

Common complaints include denied claims, poor customer service interactions and difficulty finding in-network providers.

However, in J.D. Power’s 2022 Dental Plan Satisfaction Survey, DentaQuest ranked third, scoring 784 out of 1,000 points. It considered dental plan cost, coverage, communication, customer service and claims and reimbursement.

DentaQuest dental insurance FAQ

Who bought DentaQuest?

Sun Life Financial Inc. bought DentaQuest in 2022. It acquired DentaQuest from CareQuest Institute for Oral Health.

How long has DentaQuest been around?

DentaQuest has been around for over 20 years. It was founded in 2001.

Is DentaQuest being sold?

DentaQuest isn’t currently being sold. It was last sold in 2022.

How we evaluated DentaQuest dental insurance

When evaluating DentaQuest Dental Insurance, we considered

• Premium pricing relative to other insurance companies

• Choice of dental insurance plans

• Waiting periods

• Coverage types and limits

• Availability, including location and ease of access

• Customer satisfaction according to third-party review sites like TrustPilot and the Better Business Bureau

Summary of Money’s DentaQuest dental insurance review

DentaQuest is one of Money’s best dental insurance companies because of its affordable premiums and flexible plans. With a total of nine different plan options, there’s something to fit almost everyone’s needs, including those who need orthodontic coverage.

However, DentaQuest is poorly rated by customers across online review platforms. Also, DentaQuest isn’t available in all states, and waiting periods for some services are longer than average. To find out if DentaQuest is available in your area, call to speak with an agent or search for a plan online.

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