Best Dental Savings Plans in Texas

Dental savings plans, also called dental discount plans, are membership-based discount plans for dental health maintenance and intervention that are an alternative to dental insurance. These plans can help you save between 10% and 60% of normal costs with no minimums or deductibles. Dental savings plans activate quickly, even for major procedures. 

You could activate a plan and schedule the appointment immediately without worrying about limits or restrictions. If you're ready to start using a dental savings plan, you can find excellent providers in Texas. Read on for the best dental savings plans Texas has to offer this year. 

Quick Look: Best Dental Savings Plans in Texas

• Best for Major Discounts: Smart Health Dental
• Best for Plan Comparison: DentalPlans.com
• Best for Well-Known Insurer: Humana
• Best for Big Texas Network: Delta Dental
• Best for Low-Cost Family Plans: Aetna
• Best for Large National Network: The Cigna Group

6 Best Dental Savings Plans in Texas

Here are six of the best dental savings plans in Texas this year. Carefully weigh these options against other insurance plans to protect your dental health and savings. 

Best for Major Discounts: Smart Health Dental

Smart Health Dental, founded in 2009, is based in Hollywood, Florida, but offers dental discount plans and insurance in Texas. You can choose from four insurance plans or a dental discount card. 

With the Smart Health Dental Discount Plan, members receive discounts of 35% to 70% off the regular cost of most dental procedures at over 5,000 participating dentists and specialists in Texas. This includes 70% off routine services like exams and cleanings and 35% to 60% off major treatments.

The plan is affordable: $99 per year for individuals or $179 for a family. You can easily get a quote and sign up online through Smart Health Dental's website.

To receive discounts, show your Smart Health Dental ID card to participating dentists before receiving treatment. You'll get the discounted rate and then need to pay the full rate at that visit.  

Best for Plan Comparison: DentalPlans.com

Need to compare plans? DentalPlans.com is one of the leading online marketplaces for dental savings plans across the United States, including a wide variety of options for Texas residents.

Rather than offering a single plan, DentalPlans.com allows Texans to compare and purchase different dental discount plans from providers like Dental Solutions, Dental Select and the providers on this list. It gives access to diverse plan benefits, costs and dentist networks all in one place.

Individual dental savings plans on DentalPlans.com for Texas residents cost between $100 and $200 per year, and family plans range from $150 to $350 annually. You can choose plans with discounts from 10% to 60%, although discounts usually vary by procedure, and you can't always predict what procedure you'll need. 

However, with no waiting periods, you could sign up for the plan with the best discount for the service you need. Getting a quote and signing up is simple through DentalPlans.com. Once you're a member of one of the dental savings plans, you'll receive a plan ID card to present at dental visits to receive discounts on services from cleanings to fillings and crowns to orthodontics.

Best for Well-Known Insurer: Humana

Humana is a trusted national provider of health insurance and supplemental plans. While the dental savings plan isn't insurance, Texas residents can access significant discounts on dental services through Humana's Dental Savings Plus plan.

As a member, you'll get access to discounted rates of 20% to 40% on most dental services from thousands of dentists across Texas plus a nationwide network of over 200,000 participating providers. You can get discounts on everything from routine cleanings to major procedures like crowns, root canals and orthodontics.

Individuals pay as little as $84 per year. You can compare plans with various levels of coverage and hybrid insurance-dental discount plans. You can get a quote and sign up directly through Humana's website. Once enrolled, you will receive a member ID card to present to any participating provider to receive the discounted rates for your visits.

Best for Big Texas Network: Delta Dental

Delta Dental is one of the most well-known and trusted names in dental coverage. For Texas residents, the Delta Dental Patient Direct plan gives members access to discounted fees from Delta Dental's extensive network of over 9,000 participating dentists across Texas. 

As a member, you can receive fee discounts of 30% to 70% on most dental services, from routine cleanings and fillings to major procedures like crowns, root canals and orthodontics.

An individual plan costs just $89 per year, while family plans for three or more people cost $199 annually. You can easily get a quote through Delta Dental's website or by calling an agent. Once enrolled, you'll receive an ID card to present at dental visits to receive the discounted rates.

Best for Low-Cost Family Plans: Aetna

Aetna is one of the nation's leading providers of health insurance and related services. Aetna offers the Aetna Dental Access discount plan for Texas residents looking to save on dental care, 

As an Aetna Dental Access plan member, you can get discounted dental fees of 15% to 50% on most dental services from Aetna's nationwide network of participating dentists and specialists. There are no deductibles, annual maximums, claim forms or waiting periods.

Individual plans cost $92.90 annually in Texas. A family plan that covers up to two adults and four children is $153.90 annually. You can easily get a quote or find an in-network dentist on Aetna's website.

To receive discounts, present your Aetna Dental Access ID card to a participating dentist before receiving treatment. 

Best for Large National Network: The Cigna Group

Cigna is a globally recognized provider of health services and insurance solutions, including dental discount plans for Texans. The Cigna Dental Savings Plan gives members access to discounted rates through a nationwide network of dentists.

Cigna's plan covers a wide range of dental services. Discounts vary from 15% to 50% for most preventive, basic and major procedures. Like other dental discount plans, there are no deductibles, annual maximums or waiting periods. 

Cigna's fees are affordable: $110 for an individual or $211 for a family plan. You can get a quote and enroll through Cigna's website or over the phone. Once enrolled, you can search for participating dentists with Cigna's online provider locator tool. To get the discounts, you'll just need to show your plan ID card at the appointment.

What Is a Dental Savings or Discount Plan? 

A dental savings plan, also known as a dental discount plan, is a membership program that provides discounted rates on dental services from participating providers. Unlike traditional dental insurance, these plans do not cover any costs. Instead, members pay an annual fee to access a network of dentists who have agreed to offer reduced rates, typically between 10% to 60% off their usual fees.

How Does a Texas Dental Savings Plan Work?

When you enroll in a dental savings plan in Texas, you pay an annual membership fee, usually between $100 to $300 for an individual or family plan. This fee gives you access to discounted rates from dentists within the plan's network.

Here's an example of how it works: Suppose you need a dental crown, which typically costs around $1,200. With your dental savings plan, you have access to a 40% discounted rate from an in-network dentist. This means instead of paying $1,200, you would only pay $720 for that same crown.

The key aspects of a dental discount plan are:  

• You have to pay the full discounted fee directly to the dentist at the time of service. In the example above, that would be $720. 
• How you can pay depends on the dentist's accepted payment methods. 
• There are no deductibles, copays or maximums, just the discounted rate.
• The discount only applies to dentists within the plan's network.
• There is no paperwork or claims to file. You simply mention your plan to receive the discounted rate.

So, while the costs aren't covered by insurance, the discounts help make dental care more affordable if you are willing to pay the discounted rates out of pocket.

Dental Savings Plan vs. Dental Insurance

Dental savings plans and dental insurance are two different ways to help cover the costs of dental care, but they work quite differently. A dental savings plan provides discounted rates on services from participating providers, while dental insurance involves premiums, copays, and coverage levels for different types of procedures. Here's an overview of how they compare. 

How Much Does a Dental Discount Plan in Texas Cost?

Dental discount plans in Texas typically cost between $100 to $200 per year for an individual and $150 to $300 for a family plan. The exact cost can vary depending on the specific plan and provider. These plans offer discounted rates, usually 10% to 60% off, on dental services from participating providers. That means that you could save the cost of the plan plus more through regular dental care. 

Pros and Cons of Getting a Dental Discount Plan in Texas

While dental discount plans can help make dental care more affordable, it's important to weigh the pros and cons before enrolling. Not sure whether you should get a dental discount plan or dental insurance? Here is an overview of the pros and cons. 

Pros

• Save more: Lower out-of-pocket costs for dental services at participating providers
• No limits: No annual spending limits or maximums
• Immediate coverage: Coverage begins immediately, with no waiting periods
• No filing claims: Get discounts immediately so you don't have to deal with paperwork or claims

Cons

• Full payment required: Must pay the full discounted rate at the time of service
• Out-of-pocket costs: May still have high out-of-pocket costs for major procedures
• In-network only: Only receive discounts from in-network providers
• No extra coverage: No benefits outside of the negotiated discounts, and most procedures aren't covered 100%

Should You Use a Dental Discount Plan?

Dental discount plans offer an alternative way to save on dental expenses, but they have limitations. By understanding the costs, pros and cons, you can make an informed decision about whether a plan aligns with your dental care needs and budget. You can also consider the best dental insurance, supplemental dental insurance or compare national dental savings plans. 

Frequently Asked Questions