Guardian provides comprehensive dental insurance you can buy independently or through your employer. It covers basic and preventive care, as well as more advanced services like root canals, crowns, bridges and dentures.
Guardian has an extensive network of more than 120,000 providers. It offers a range of plans so you can choose a plan that fits your budget and your dental needs. Guardian’s plans start at just over $8 per month.
The plans that Guardian sells directly are PPOs, which means you can see dentists outside the network, but you’ll pay more than if you see an in-network dentist. Guardian also offers HMOs through employers. HMOs may not pay if you see an out-of-network dentist.
Guardian also offers teledentistry, so you can consult with a dentist from home if you’re experiencing issues.
While everyone should consider dental insurance, Guardian’s affordable plans are especially good for young adults who might have a limited budget and limited dental care needs. Guardian also offers plans with orthodontic care (braces) and regular, preventive service for families.
- Teledentistry
- Range of plan options
- Affordable basic plan
- Mobile app has limited functionality
Guardian Dental Insurance Ratings at a Glance
Dental health is an essential part of your overall health. But dental care can be pricey if you need more comprehensive care.
Learn how you can lower your out-of-pocket costs with Guardian Dental Insurance.
Guardian Dental Insurance plans cover several types of dental care, including:
- Preventive care like oral exams, cleanings, fluoride treatments, sealants and x-rays
- Basic care, including fillings and simple extractions
- Major care, such as bridges, dentures, crowns, complex extractions and oral surgery
- Dental implants
- Orthodontia
Guardian offers 3 plans to the general public. Each has different benefits and coinsurance.
- Gold offers the most comprehensive coverage.
- Preventive care at 100% with no waiting period
- Basic care at 70% with a 6-month waiting period
- Major care at 50% with a 12-month waiting period
- Implants at 50% with a 12-month waiting period
- Orthodontia at 50% with a 12-month waiting period
- Silver is mid-level coverage.
- Preventive care at 80% with no waiting period
- Basic care at 50% with a 6-month waiting period
- Major care at 50% with a 12-month waiting period
- Implants at 50% with a 12-month waiting period
- Orthodontia is not covered
- Bronze provides the lowest coverage. It’s also the least expensive.
- Preventive care at 100% with no waiting period
- Basic care at 50% with a 6-month waiting period
- Major care is not covered
- Implants are not covered
- Orthodontia is not covered
How Coverage Works
Each plan has a deductible, which is the amount you’re required to pay before Guardian starts paying. For example, all 3 plans have a $0 deductible for preventive care received from an in-network dentist. All other services have a $50 deductible.
Guardian, like most dental plans, also has a maximum payout. This is the most Guardian will pay in a year. Guardian increases its payout each year.
With the Gold Plan, during your 1st year, it pays a maximum of $1,000. The 2nd year has a maximum of $1,250. After that, the maximum payout is $1,500. Implants have a lifetime maximum of $1,000. Orthodontia has an annual maximum of $500 and a lifetime maximum of $1,000.
The Silver Plan pays a maximum of $500 during your 1st year, up to $750 during your 2nd year and up to $1,000 your 3rd year and after. Dental implants have a lifetime maximum of $700.
The Bronze Plan pays a maximum of $500 during your 1st year, up to $750 during your 2nd year and up to $1,000 during and after your 3rd year with Guardian.
What Isn’t Covered
Like all insurance companies, there are limits to what Guardian will cover. These exclusions include:
- Treatment for job-related injuries (these are usually covered under workers compensation)
- Cosmetic procedures like teeth whitening.
- Pulp vitality tests
- Services performed on teeth with a poor prognosis
- Replacement of a lost, missing or stolen dental appliance or prosthesis
- Services and appliances to treat TMJ
- Separate charges for local anesthetic
- Prescription medications
Guardian doesn’t have any information about claims for individual policyholders on its website. In general, dentists often handle insurance claims through their office. In some situations, you may need to contact Guardian and file a claim following the instructions.
If you have a policy through your employer, you can submit a claim online.
Guardian has a mobile app available in the Google Play and Apple App stores. The mobile app allows you to find providers and look up your insurance cards. This can be helpful if you want to carry vital insurance information with you. However, it may not help you get much further.
You can’t contact customer service or file or track claims through the mobile app. As a result, you should reach out to your provider when you have questions about billing or claims.
Guardian’s 3 plan levels make it easy to choose a plan that fits into your budget. It has affordable plans starting at around $8 per month. The lowest priced plan offers the lowest amount of coverage, so keep that in mind as you decide which plan to purchase.
Of course, if you purchase a Guardian dental plan through your employer, you may pay a different price. Employers often pay part of the cost of insurance, and Guardian offers different plans through employers than they offer to the general public.
Regardless of whether you’re buying it through an employer or on your own, review the benefits carefully before you buy.
Guardian’s customer service centers are available from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PST. If you purchased your dental insurance through your state’s health insurance exchange, call 1-844-561-5600. If you purchased your insurance directly from Guardian, call 1-866-569-9900.
Guardian doesn’t offer other customer service options like email or live chat, so you’ll need to call for assistance.
Guardian offers affordable dental insurance plans that cover a range of dental services. Its mobile app isn’t the most functional, and it could offer more information on claims and more customer service options. But the process of purchasing coverage is easy, and you have maximums that increase the longer you have your policy.
Keep in mind that Guardian has a waiting period for certain services. If you anticipate dental work in the future, it’s best to buy a policy now so you can meet the 6- or 12- month waiting period. You’ll also have a higher maximum benefit after your 1st year of coverage.
Is Guardian Dental Insurance Right for You?
Guardian could be the best dental insurance if you like the flexibility of a PPO and don’t mind a waiting period. If you have a preferred dentist, check to see whether they’re in-network with Guardian. If not, you might want to choose a dental insurance plan that includes your dentist as an in-network provider.
As you compare plans, look at more than the monthly costs. Consider the percentage the plan will cover of each type of service, the plan’s waiting periods, the deductibles and the plan’s annual maximum. If you need implants or a family member needs orthodontic care, confirm these are covered by your plan. Many insurance companies exclude these or limit the annual benefits for these services.
Another option for dental care is a dental discount plan. These plans aren’t insurance, but they can lower the cost of your dental care. Dental discount plans require a monthly or annual premium, and you receive a discount card that you can use with dentists who have agreed to work with the plan.
Your discount is honored at the time of service, so you don’t have to worry about filing a claim or that you’ve exceeded your annual maximum. You also don’t have to wait to receive certain services.
To compare dental discount plans, visit our trusted partner. In a few clicks, you can see which plans are available in your area and compare plans.
See More: BEST TELEDENTISTRY PLATFORMS AND APPS
Frequently Asked Questions
Is dental insurance a requirement for dental care?
No. You can pay cash for dental care if needed, but dental insurance can help you cut costs.
Can you buy dental insurance yourself?
Yes, you can purchase dental insurance yourself, but it is cheaper if you’re able to get insurance through your employer or a specialized program.
User Reviews
Donald Milton III
The customer service reps have no knowledge of the product. I had to spend two and a half hours on the phone for them to confirm that my dentist was in network. I then received a bill for $137 for an exam and cleaning, both of which were supposed to be c
Grant Rieger
Insurance
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Dental Insurance Methodology
To determine the best dental insurance providers, we pored through all United States carriers. We winnowed the list by only including companies that have a wide coverage area and product offering. To further break down the list to the true best dental insurance providers, we gave weight to carriers that offer discounts, are available in all states and have multiple payment plan options.
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