Smart Health Dental offers no waiting period dental coverage, a rare find with many types of insurance. It is a national dental insurance provider with a network of more than 200,000 dentists. It offers 2 insurance plans and a dental discount card, so you can choose what works best for your family.
The basic plan doesn’t cover major procedures, but its other insurance plan covers a broader range of procedures. The dental discount card isn’t insurance, but it offers upfront discounts on dental procedures.
One perk that Smart Health Dental offers is its care coordination. Call and a dedicated team member will help you find a dental provider, book appointments and find affordable options for services that aren’t covered by insurance.
While Smart Health Dental offers plans with a range of benefits, you can’t purchase coverage online. To buy a policy, you must call Smart Health Dental and speak to a representative.
- Care coordination
- Insurance and discount card available
- No waiting periods
- No online signup
- Customer service only weekdays during business hours
Smart Health Dental Ratings at a Glance
Smart Health Dental offers 4 insurance plan styles and 1 dental discount card option. The insurance plans are the Preventive PPO Plan, Comprehensive Elevate Plan, SHD for Seniors and SHD for Families. To understand the difference between these plans, let’s look at the services covered by Smart Health Dental insurance.
Smart Health Dental insurance divides dental care into the following categories:
Preventive services: This includes exams, cleanings and fluoride treatments and sealants (sealants are covered as preventive care under the PPO plan).
Basic services: This category includes palliative treatments (treatment to temporarily relieve pain), bitewing x-rays and sealants (sealants are covered as basic services under the Comprehensive Elevate Plan).
Major services: This includes non-routine x-rays, periodontic services (care to treat gum disease), root canals, extractions, fillings, crowns, bridges, implants and dentures.
Orthodontic services: This includes braces and related services.
Both insurance plans have coinsurance. Coinsurance is the percentage of a covered service that you’re responsible for.
The Comprehensive Elevate Plan has deductibles, which is the amount you’re required to pay for covered services before your insurance plan starts coverage. The deductibles are $50 per person and $150 per family. The Preventive PPO Plan doesn’t have a deductible.
The Preventive PPO Plan provides the following coverage:
- Preventive services: Covers 100% at in-network and out-of-network dentists
- Basic services: Covers palliative care at 80% at in-network and out-of-network dentists and other services at 50% at in-network and out-of-network dentists
- Major services: Covers 0%
- Orthodontic services: Covers 0%
This plan has a maximum benefit of $750 per year. That means the most it will pay toward your dental care each year is $750.
The Comprehensive Elevate Plan provides the following coverage:
- Preventive services: Covers 80% during the 1st year and 100% during the 2nd and following years
- Basic services: Covers 40% the 1st year of coverage, 50% the 2nd year and 60% the following years
- Major services: Covers 20% the 1st year of coverage, 35% the 2nd year and 50% the following years
- Orthodontic services: Covers 0%
The Comprehensive Elevate Plan has a maximum benefit of $750 the 1st year, $1,000 the 2nd year and $1,250 the years after that. If you see an out-of-network provider, it will pay up to the PPO allowed amount to that provider. If the provider charges more, you’re responsible for the difference.
These Smart Health Dental’s insurance plans have no waiting period. The waiting period is the amount of time you have to wait to have a service. Some insurance plans have waiting periods for basic and/or major services, so this is an advantage Smart Health Dental has over other plans.
The Senior Plans are divided into Comprehensive and Elevate options. Family Plans are organized in the same manner.
Smart Health Dental Discount Plan
Smart Health Dental’s discount plan is not insurance coverage. Instead you receive a discount at the time of service when you see one of Smart Health Dental’s network providers. It offers a discount of 10% to 50% on dental services, including braces, which aren’t covered under Smart Health Dental’s insurance plans.
It also offers discounts on vision services like eye exams, glasses, contacts and Lasik surgery. You can use your discount at Walmart Vision, Target Optical and other optometrists.
The dental discount plan also offers prescription discounts of up to 50% on generics and telemedicine benefits.
What Isn’t Covered
Smart Health Dental doesn’t go into detail about its plan exclusions on its website. If you choose a Smart Health Dental policy, review the benefits and exclusions carefully so you don’t experience any surprises.
In general, here are services that are commonly excluded from dental insurance plans.
- Cosmetic services like teeth whitening
- Dental services related to a work injury (these may be covered by workers’ compensation insurance)
- Replacement of lost or stolen dentures
- Prescription medications
- Procedures on a tooth with a poor prognosis
- Charges for completing forms
- Charges for duplicate images
- General anesthetic
While Smart Health Dental doesn’t cover these items, you might also ask your dentist if they offer a cash price for some of these services—which can save you. little more money.
Smart Health Dental offers 4 insurance plan options and a dental discount card.
You also can’t get pricing information on its website. You’re required to call and speak to someone or submit an online request so someone can call you back. Other insurance companies have the option to get a quote online, which simplifies comparison shopping.
Once you’re a plan member, you can contact customer service by phone at 866-928-3130 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST. You can also email Smart Health Dental at memberservices@shdinsurance.com.
When you’re shopping for plans, you can speak with an enrollment specialist at 866-260-2402 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST.
Smart Health Dental’s ranking is based on the fact it doesn't have a live chat option, and customer service hours are limited.
Smart Health Dental Claims Support
Smart Health Dental doesn’t have any information about its claims support on its website. In general, dentists will handle some of the claims paperwork if you have insurance. If you opt for a dental discount card, you don’t need to worry about claims.
Dental discount cards offer a discount at the time of service. You’re responsible for paying the balance when you get your dental work done, so there’s no need to file a claim.
Smart Health Dental offers essential dental coverage through its 4 insurance plans. Its dental discount card offers a range of benefits. You don’t have a waiting period for coverage, but it does limit benefits during your first 2 years on the plan if you choose the Comprehensive Elevate Plan.
The care coordination is a useful service. Your care coordinator can help you find a dentist and book appointments. Care coordinators are only available by phone, however, and you can only contact them during the week and during business hours.
Smart Health Dental also doesn’t offer online quotes or the ability to purchase a policy online. This makes it difficult to compare Smart Health Dental to other insurance plans since you don’t know how much a policy costs without calling. If you prefer conducting business by phone and speaking to a person, you might prefer Smart Health Dental’s approach.
Smart Health Dental is a good choice if you want affordable dental insurance, and you don’t mind calling for information.
Is Smart Health Dental Right for Me?
Smart Health Dental may be the best dental insurance option if you need basic coverage or prefer to do business by phone.
Ready to secure dental coverage today? Call Smart Health Dental and ask for a quote now.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Smart Health Dental?
Smart Health Dental is dental insurance provider that offered multiple plans.
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