Consumers were slightly more satisfied with dental insurance plans this year than in 2020, according to J.D. Power’s 2021 U.S. Dental Plan Satisfaction Report. And one provider — UnitedHealthcare Dental — stood out from the pack.
UnitedHealthcare Dental finished first in customer satisfaction among the nine insurers included in the survey.
In ranking dental insurance plan providers for overall customer satisfaction, J.D. Power considered five factors. Listed in order of importance, they are:
- Cost
- Coverage
- Communications
- Customer service
- Reimbursement
The average overall customer satisfaction score among dental plan providers in the 2021 ranking was 778 out of 1,000 points, up 7 points from the 2020 average.
Five plan providers earned above-average overall customer satisfaction scores. The top plans in the report, and their scores are:
- UnitedHealthcare Dental: 806 out of 1,000 points
- HumanaDental: 793
- Aetna Dental: 791
- Cigna: 787
- MetLife Dental: 782
Four other plan providers earned below-average scores for overall customer satisfaction. They are:
- DentaQuest: 773 out of 1,000 points
- United Concordia Dental: 765
- Guardian Access Dental/Premier: 746
- Ameritas: 729
The report was based on responses from more than 1,200 dental plan members.
Should you buy dental insurance?
Before shopping for a new dental plan, it’s worth considering whether it makes sense to purchase coverage at all.
Dental insurance that you obtain through an employer is usually a good deal. As Money Talks News founder Stacy Johnson says, if you are offered such coverage, “take it and run.”
However, a plan that you purchase on your own often is not a great deal. As Stacy points out, dental insurance typically offers limited coverage for things such as filling cavities or more complex procedures. It also may limit coverage to something like $1,000 a year. Stacy adds:
“Dental insurance typically has an exclusionary period. In other words, maybe you think, ‘I’m going to need a bridge. I’ll get dental insurance for $350, then get my bridge free.’ Nope. This insurance often excludes even simple things like fillings for six months, and some procedures for 18 months.”
So, Stacy encourages you to think things through before plunking down your hard-earned cash. For more on his take, check out “Should I Buy Dental Insurance?”
If you decide dental insurance is not for you, check out some of your other options by reading “10 Alternatives to Dental Insurance.”
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