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5.7

Overall Score

Author: Kaitlyn Short

LAST UPDATED: January 22nd, 2025

If you're looking for dental insurance, you already know that dental health is important. A dental insurance plan can help you save on dental treatment and make visits to the dentist less expensive.

Delta Dental offers good dental insurance. Many of its plan members rate Delta Dental highly and are satisfied with the value offered through coverage, cost, and network of dentists, and customer service. If you're looking for good quality, see if Delta Dental has a plan that meets your needs.

Delta Dental was founded in 1954 by dentists and employers to increase access to dental services. Over the years, Delta Dental has grown from servicing three states to servicing all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and United States territories.

Delta Dental is an industry leader and was the first to offer dental insurance in multiple states. It has a large network of dentists and serves millions of people.

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Customer Review: Mary from Jacksonville, Florida

"My experience with Delta has always been great. Both my spouse and I have delta and was able to stack the coverage on both of our kids braces. We ended up paying less than 1600 for braces for each after each Delta plan paid a part."

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The Good

  • Positive Customer Reviews
  • Plan Variety
  • High Level of Customer Satisfaction
  • Vision Coverage Available

Positive Customer Reviews

Delta Dental has earned much praise from its plan members. Positive Delta Dental reviews describe satisfaction for the cost and value of the company's plans. They also mention quick claims processing and payments. The high number of positive reviews mean that you can purchase a Delta Dental plan confidently.

Plan Variety

Delta Dental offers dental insurance coverage for individuals, retirees, families, and employers. It has six kinds of dental plans available.

  • Delta Dental PPO™ — This insurance plan allows individuals access to the discounted network rates when they receive dental treatment from an in-network provider. It also has low out-of-pocket costs.
  • Delta Dental PPO Plus Premier™ — This plan is just like the Delta Dental PPO™ (Preferred Provider Organization) with the added benefit of coverage for out-of-network dentists.
  • Delta Dental Premier® — This is Delta Dental’s indemnity plan. Individuals with this plan only pay co-pays and deductibles for services received.
  • DeltaCare® USA — This plan is Delta Dental’s HMO and focuses primarily on preventive services.
  • Delta Dental Patient Direct® — With this plan, patients choose a network dentist and pay the dentist their pre-negotiated, discounted fee for the dental service. 
  • Delta Dental Individual and Family™ — Delta Dental offers the same group plans (generally only available to employers) to individuals and families.

With these choices, customers should be able to find the dental coverage and benefits they need at their price point.

Dental insurance plans work slightly differently from health insurance plans, though there are similarities. The Delta Dental PPO™, Delta Dental Premier®, and Delta Dental PPO Plus Premier™ plans all have an annual deductible and copays, like health insurance plans do. Unlike health insurance plans, these three Delta Dental plans also have an annual maximum benefit. The annual maximum benefit is the most that Delta Dental will pay for covered services during the year. Keep this number in mind as you consider the treatment you may need during the year. 

The DeltaCare® USA and the Delta Dental Patient Direct do not have deductibles or an annual maximum benefit. The DeltaCare® USA does have copays.

Finding a participating dentist is easy. Delta Dental members can use Delta Dental's website to find in-network dentists in their area. From the search results, you can choose a dental provider. Visiting participating dentists allows you to take full advantage of your plan's dental savings.

As you evaluate your dental plan options, consider the dental services you'll likely need. Check to make sure that your needs are included in a plan's covered services. Cleanings and dental check-ups usually fall under preventive care. Basic treatment generally includes dental work like fillings. Major services include dental procedures like root canals, crowns, and bridges. Some plans may also have limitations and exclusions. For example, cosmetic dentistry is typically not covered by dental insurance.

Some plans also require a waiting period before covering certain services.

If you like your current dentist, you should check to see if they are a provider included in your plan's network. With PPO plans, you can usually visit any dentist you'd like. If you visit a network dentist, you can maximize the cost-sharing benefits of your plan.

You should also consider what copayment a plan requires, its deductible, monthly premium, and other out-of-pocket expenses. Monthly premiums should fit comfortably into your monthly budget; however, it's important to also consider your out-of-pocket expenses.

Analyzing the full cost of a plan and what dental procedures and preventive services you need will help you estimate how much money you'll spend on dental care and find a plan that fits your budget.

High Level of Customer Satisfaction

Reviews on bestcompany.com are mostly positive. Clients are typically satisfied with the coverage and service they receive from Delta Dental. Reviewers are also happy with its large network of dental providers.

While some reviewers experienced difficulty with getting procedures approved, claims, and cost, most reviewers are happy with Delta Dental. Keep in mind that Delta Dental offers a few different coverage plans, so customer experience with cost and coverage may be affected by what plan they chose.

Vision Coverage Available

While Delta Dental insurance plans are primarily for dentistry, the company also offers a vision insurance plan called DeltaVision®. With this plan, customers receive discounts for eye exams, glasses, contacts, and laser vision correction. It can be purchased with or separately from dental insurance.

Those looking for both dental and vision coverage can find insurance options through Delta Dental.

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The Bad

  • Availability Varies by State

Availability Varies by State

While Delta Dental's plans are available nationwide, the offerings and rates vary by state. People interested in purchasing insurance from Delta Dental must enter their state, zip code, and birthday on a state- or region-specific site to view the rates and insurance coverage options available to them.

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The Bottom Line

Dental care is an important part of taking care of your overall health. Good oral health and dental hygiene have positive effects on your heart and overall health. Dental insurance can help defray the cost of dental treatment that helps you maintain your dental health.

Delta Dental is a great choice when choosing a dental insurance company. It offers six kinds of dental plans, which makes it easy to find affordable dental coverage. Delta Dental has even made its group plans available to independent customers, not just businesses. This means that individuals can get the same dental benefits as those offered through employers.

Delta Dental's plan offerings and terms vary by state, so be sure to understand the specifics of the plan, like if there is a waiting period for certain services and the coverage available for preventive services and its cost before signing up for dental coverage.

Delta Dental has one of the largest networks of dentists, which makes finding a dentist easier. Visiting a network dentist allows you to access discounted rates for covered dental work. Delta Dental is an insurance provider worth considering.

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Star Rating

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4.0

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255 Reviews

Review Breakdown

5 grade

47%

4 grade

26%

3 grade

11%

2 grade

5%

1 grade

10%

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Ron Saadi Los Angeles, CA

Consumers beware. A dentist did not perform deep cleaning and chaged my Dela insurance account $1000 and received $570. I reported to Delta dental, weeks later just received a letter stating they will do nothing and they will take the side of the dentist. As a result i will be out of coverage amount for this period. In an attempt to protect other patients I will escalate this to state dental board and state better business office. YOU JUST NEED TO KNOW DELTA DENTAL TAKES DOCTOR'S SIDE. NOT the patient side.

2 years ago

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John

Delta has not paid for treatment that is covered in my dental plan, calling just connects me to unhelpful people. Delta does not even have a qualified person to review the case with my dentist.

5 years ago

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Mason Allen Provo, UT

The have the same coverage as most dental insurance companies but Delta can be a pain in the butt. It took 8 months for them to process a retainer request. They said if I did x,y,z I could get it approved and I did that and they still did not approve it. Such a waste of time.

4 years ago

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Nicole Balvanz Iowa Falls, IA

The company is okay. I don't have any other option to go with besides Delta Dental. They don't cover a lot of necessary stuff, which ends up being very expensive for me and my family in the long run. Not very happy with Delta Dental.

4 years ago

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Kimsreview Atlanta, GA

I know it is my company that chooses the benefit but Delta Dental tends to deny claims. I have been frustrated with them over the past several years with my daughters dental care. And not having an I’d card is a pain.

5 years ago

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Camille Lynnwood, WA

I definitely fell like I don’t get nearly enough coverage. And there isn’t enough information about how dual coverage works. I need more accessibility to see what my coverage is, and how to get better coverage.

5 years ago

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jerry duane hughes

went in for an emergency tooth extraction and got reamed on the bill

4 years ago Edited September 14, 2021

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Asadullah Plano, TX

I had this dental insurance last year. They hardly paid anything. I had to pay majority of the bill out if pocket for a simple cleaning.

1 year ago

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D Woodstock, IL

Calling this office with claim or coverage questions is an exercise in extreme patience and discernment. They are often wrong and the time waiting is intolerable.

4 years ago

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Richard Baker Las Cruces, NM

ok with 6 month checks,etc very expensive when more extensive work needed...wish I had better choice

4 years ago

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CYNTHIA LEWIS

Ok only they have never been beyond Quality of service I wish they were

5 years ago

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Beth New Buffalo, MI

Sub-par for payments on dental work and few dentists accept their policy.

5 years ago