Slipping customer service and bad experiences with reimbursement have left consumers slightly less satisfied with dental insurance plans, according to J.D. Power’s 2020 U.S. Dental Plan Satisfaction Report.
However, one provider of such plans — DentaQuest — still gets relatively high marks from customers. It finished as the most highly rated plan in the report.
DentaQuest also stands out in that it largely provides government plans, whereas most dental plan providers included in J.D. Power’s 2020 ranking typically provide coverage through the customer’s employer.
In ranking dental insurance plan providers for overall customer satisfaction, J.D. Power considered five factors. Listed in order of importance, they are:
- Coverage
- Cost
- Communications
- Customer service
- Reimbursement
The average overall customer satisfaction score among dental plan providers in the 2020 ranking was 771 out of 1,000 points, which is a 1-point decline from the 2019 average.
Three plan providers earned above-average overall customer satisfaction. The top plans in the report are:
- DentaQuest: 801
- Aetna Dental: 791
- HumanaDental: 774
Five other plan providers earned below-average scores for overall customer satisfaction. They are:
- Cigna: 767
- UnitedHealthcare Dental: 760
- MetLife Dental: 757
- United Concordia Dental: 742
- Guardian Access Dental/Premier: 711
The report was based on responses from more than 1,100 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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