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Guardian

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3.3

Overall Score

LAST UPDATED: March 11th, 2024

Guardian® began as a life insurance company over 155 years ago. Guardian® works to make insurance accessible to everyone, and over the years has served over 20 million Americans.

Guardian® offers excellent dental insurance options with good coverage. You can find coverage for dental implants and child orthodontic treatment through Guardian®. It also has a superior financial rating from A.M. Best, which signals financial strength and Guardian®'s ability to meet its financial obligations when customers file a claim.

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Customer Review: Angelina Hamilton from Jackson, Mississippi

"My company switched to this year and I went to the dentist yesterday and found out they cover more than my previous insurance did. No deductible for my cleanings! And it’s affordable!"

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The Good

  • Excellent Plan Options for Individuals
  • Dental Benefits Through Employers
  • Additional Insurance Available

Excellent Plans for Individuals

Guardian® offers Dental Health Maintenance Organization (DHMO) and Preferred Provider Organization.

Most insurance plans cover preventive care, like cleanings and dental check-ups. Coverage levels for diagnosis and restorative treatment (e.g. a root canal, filling, crown) varies by dental insurance plan. Plans typically don't cover cosmetic dentistry or orthodontics.

The PPO dental insurance plans have provider networks. However, plan members still have the same treatment covered if they visit an out-of-network dentist. The rates are usually higher for out-of-network dental care, even for preventive treatment. However, the flexibility is an advantage of PPO insurance.

Guardian® also offers Dental Health Maintenance Organization (DHMO) plans. The Dental HMO has a network of dental providers. It's easy to find an in-network provider on Guardian®'s website. For coverage, plan members must receive care from a Guardian dentist. The network flexibility is how PPO and HMO plans differ.

Dental Benefit Options Through Employers

Guardian® works with employers to create benefits packages for employees. For more details on dental plan options, you'll need to reach out to the company directly.

In addition to dental insurance coverage, employers may also be able to work with Guardian ® to offer vision, life, supplemental health, and disability insurance in their benefits package.

Additional Insurance Available

Independent buyers can purchase other kinds of insurance through Guardian®:

  • Vision Insurance
  • Accident Insurance
  • Critical Illness Insurance
  • Cancer Insurance
  • Hospital Indemnity Insurance

These are great additional offerings. Some insurance providers offer more kinds of insurance, like health insurance. Others focus primarily on dental insurance.

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The Bad

  • Limited Customer Insight
  • Area Variability
  • Waiting Periods
  • Dental Discount Plans May Not Be Available
  • Must Provide Contact Information to See Options

Limited Customer Insight

Best Company has not received many reviews for Guardian®. General conclusions about the customer experience are not currently available.

Area Variability

Guardian®’s insurance policy offerings may vary depending on the area you live in. However, it is easy to view your insurance coverage options on the company’s website after entering your zip code.

Waiting Periods

Although there isn't usually a waiting period for preventive care, it's common for dental insurance plans to have a waiting period for restorative dental procedures like fillings and other major dental work. Some dental insurance companies do not have waiting periods. As you review Guardian®'s dental plans, check to see if there are waiting periods for some dental work and whether or not the periods can be waived.

Dental Discount Plans May Not Be Available

If you're looking for a dental discount plan instead of insurance, you may not be able to find plans from Guardian®

While the website does not include any FAQs on dental discount plans, you won't know for sure until you provide your zip code and email address to view options and pricing in your area.

Dental discount plans are sometimes called dental savings plans. These plans are not insurance. Instead, they offer set discounts on dental services when you visit participating dentists.

Must Provide Contact Information to See Options

Before Guardian®'s site shows you dental insurance plans in your area, you must provide your zip code, number of people covered, your age range, and email address. 

If you're still in the research stages, it can be frustrating to provide an email address so that Guardian® can email you quotes on plans.

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The Bottom Line

Dental treatment can be expensive and good oral health affects your overall health. Dental insurance helps by offering access to pre-negotiated discounts and cost-sharing. Regular preventive care like routine cleanings can help you avoid more expensive major services like root canals or bridges.

While Guardian® may not have the same number of dental insurance policies as some of its competitor dental insurance providers, it has several great options for dental plans. Guardian® provides good dental coverage. It's also convenient that the company offers other kinds of insurances, like vision insurance. Those interested in purchasing dental and vision insurance can find both products through Guardian®.

Finding a dentist in Guardian®'s dental network is a simple online process. Visiting a participating dentist helps you maximize your plan's dental savings. Before you buy a plan, you can check whether or not your current dental provider is included in Guardian®'s network.

Before choosing Guardian® as your insurance provider, be sure to check the website for zip code-specific cost and plan options. Consider the out-of-pocket expenses, annual deductible, annual benefit maximum, premiums, and coverage offered. Evaluate these features in terms of your budget and dental work or procedures you may need. 

Customers should also pay attention to the waiting periods. If a you don't want to deal with waiting periods, choosing a plan from Guardian® may not be the best option.

Although more customer reviews are necessary for a full recommendation, Guardian® is a good dental insurance company to consider if its dental insurance plans offer the coverage you need.

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Star Rating

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1.1

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158 Reviews

Review Breakdown

5 grade

6%

4 grade

2%

3 grade

2%

2 grade

6%

1 grade

84%

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b. p. Anderson, IN

I have had Guardian Dental insurance for more than 2 years and have never had an issue with routine services. I also had a crown, which I think was paid according to their coverage limitations. I wish they offered more services at an additional premium. $1,000 max cap per year isn't going to get you far with the cost of modern dental.

1 year ago Edited October 23, 2023

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Madison Kneiss Long Beach, MS

It is very hard to find an network doctor in my area so you always pay more than what you expect. When I have called the customer service line they have always been very friendly and professional

4 years ago

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LeAnn Baytown, TX

We have Guardian. There are plenty of dentist to choose from. We have never had any billing issues or anything.

2 years ago