UnitedHealthcare Dental Insurance Review
UnitedHealthcare is a trusted provider of comprehensive dental coverage for individuals and families. With a vast network of dentists across the U.S., UnitedHealthcare offers a wide range of affordable dental plans designed to meet your dental needs.
To help you decide if UHC dental coverage is right for you, we review the company’s dental plan costs, benefit levels, customer satisfaction and availability.
Best for Short Waiting Periods on Major Services
UnitedHealthcare (UHC) offers 12 dental insurance plans: Eight policies without age restrictions and four plans designed for adults aged 64 and over.
UHC’s broad selection of policies has several options with short or no waiting periods, including three plans that reduce the waiting period for major work to six months. Most dental insurance providers make you wait 12 months for such coverage.
UnitedHealthcare Dental Insurance Pros and Cons
- 4-month waiting period on basic services
- 6-month waiting period on major services
- Offers 60% coinsurance on major services
- Doesn't offer plan comparisons
- Carries just one plan with implants and braces coverage
- No orthodontic coverage for patients over 19 years of age
Pros Explained
4-month waiting period on basic services
Most dental insurance companies set six-month waiting periods for basic services such as fillings and extractions. However, UHC shortens the waiting period to four months if you purchase the Premier Max plan.
6-month waiting period on major services
Crowns, root canals, oral surgery and bridges are generally covered after a 12-month waiting period. UHC’s Premier Elite, Primary Preferred and Primary Preferred Plus plans cover a portion of these procedures after six months. Coverage starts at a low percentage and increases to a maximum of 60% by year two.
Offers 60% coinsurance on major services
Restorative dental care — also known as major work — can cost thousands of dollars, yet dental insurers generally limit the coinsurance to 50%, leaving patients with steep out-of-pocket costs.
UHC’s plans, Primary Preferred, Primary Preferred Plus and Premier Max, increase major work coverage to 60%. It’s a seemingly minor increase, but 10% amounts to a few hundred dollars when it comes to expensive dental services.
Cons Explained
Does not offer plan comparisons
UHC's website doesn't offer side-by-side plan comparisons to help you sort through its 12 dental plan options. Comparing the plans one by one takes time, so not having an easy way to do it can make it more challenging to decide which plan is best for you.
Carries just one plan with implants and braces coverage
Despite its wide selection of dental plans, coverage for implants and braces is only available with the Premier Plus plan. Premier Plus covers 50% of implants after year two of enrollment, up to a $2,000 annual limit. The plan also covers 50% of orthodontia up to a $1,000 maximum.
Another plan, Premier Max, offers a higher payout limit ($3,000) and better coinsurance for major work (60%), yet dental implants and braces aren’t covered.
No orthodontic coverage for patients over 19
UHC extends orthodontic coverage to patients under 19 but adults must pay for the entire treatment out-of-pocket, even if they choose plans with the highest premiums and most comprehensive coverage.
UnitedHealthcare Dental Insurance plans/offerings
UHC offers eight dental insurance plans without age limit categorized into Primary and Premier groups. Both groups include policies that provide coverage for preventive, basic and major dental care services.
- Preventive: exams, cleanings and fluoride treatments.
- Basic: simple fillings, extractions and emergency treatments for pain.
- Major: crowns, root canals, oral surgery and bridges
Primary Dental
The Primary dental plan is UHC's most affordable option. There is a $50 deductible per member for basic services and an annual benefit limit of $1,000 per person.
- Preventive: 100% coverage. No waiting period.
- Basic: Policyholder pays 35% during the first year and 20% after. No waiting period.
- Major: No coverage
Primary Plus Dental
The Primary Plus Dental plan sets a $50 deductible per member for basic services and an annual maximum of$1,000 per person.
- Preventive: 100% coverage. No waiting period
- Basic: Policyholder pays 50% in year one, 35% in year two and 20% after. No waiting period.
- Major: No coverage
Primary Preferred Dental
The Primary Preferred Dental plan is UHC's most affordable option that includes coverage for major services. There is a $50 deductible per member for combined basic and major services and an annual benefit of $1,000 per person.
- Preventive: 100% coverage. No waiting period.
- Basic: Policyholder pays 65% in year one, 35% in year two and 20% after. No waiting period.
- Major: Policyholder pays 15% in year one, 50% in year two and 40% after. Six-month waiting period.
Primary Preferred Plus Dental
The Primary Preferred Plus Dental plan sets a $50 deductible per member for combined basic and major services. The annual benefit limit is $1,000 per person. This plan also pays more for out-of-network dentists.
- Preventive: 100% coverage. No waiting period.
- Basic: Policyholder pays 50% in year one, 35% in year two and 20% after. No waiting period.
- Major: Policyholder pays 85% in year one, 50% in year two and 40% after. Six-month waiting period.
Premier Choice Dental
Premier Choice Dental has a $1,500 annual benefit limit per member. There is a $50 deductible per member for combined basic and major services.
- Preventive: 100% coverage. No waiting period.
- Basic: Policyholder pays 50% in year one, 35% in year two and 20% after. No waiting period.
- Major: Policyholder pays 50%. Six-month waiting period.
Premier Elite Dental
With Premier Elite Dental, you'll have a $2,000 annual benefit max per member. There is a $50 deductible per person for combined basic and major services.
- Preventive: 100% coverage. No waiting period
- Basic: Policyholder pays 50% in year one, 35% in year two and 20% after. No waiting period.
- Major: Policyholder pays 50% in the first two years and 40% after. Six-month waiting period.
Premier Max Dental
Premier Max Dental has a $3,000 annual benefit limit and a $50 deductible per member for combined basic and major services.
- Preventive: 100% coverage. No waiting period
- Basic: Policyholder pays 50% in year one, 35% in year two and 20% after. Four-month waiting period.
- Major: Policyholder pays 50% in year two, and 40% after. 12-month waiting period.
Premier Plus Dental
UHC's Premier Plus Dental plan is its most comprehensive and expensive plan, offering coverage for a wide range of dental services. This plan is unique in that it includes orthodontic coverage, making it ideal for individuals and families who require this type of treatment.
With the Premier Plus plan, you'll have access to a $2,000 per person annual benefit limit for general dental services and a $1,000 lifetime limit for orthodontics. While there is a $50 deductible per member for combined basic and major services, orthodontic coverage has a separate $150 lifetime deductible.
- Preventive: 100% coverage. No waiting period.
- Basic: Policyholder pays 50% in year one, 35% in year two and 20% after. No waiting period.
- Major: Policyholder pays 50%. No waiting period.
- Orthodontics: Policyholder pays 50%. 12-month waiting period.
In addition to these plans, UHC offers four Senior Dental Gen plans (Saver, Plus, Basic and Deluxe) specifically designed for those aged 64 and over, without any waiting periods. This means policyholders can get immediate coverage for preventive, basic or major dental services. Coverage for hearing aids and exams comes standard with these plans; you can also add vision coverage.
UnitedHealthcare Dental Insurance Pricing
UCH Dental premiums are comparable to other dental insurance providers. Using a Miami zip code, for example, we found that premiums ranged from $30 to $59, depending on a number of factors including:
- Plan type
- Age
- Location, by zip code
- Tobacco use status
Visit UHC’s website to get an online quote and read through the brochures for each plan.
UnitedHealthcare Dental Insurance Financial Stability
UHC's financial stability is good. The company has an A+ rating from AM Best, a credit rating agency that rates the financial strength of insurance companies globally.
UnitedHealthcare Dental Insurance Accessibility
To evaluate the accessibility of UHC Dental, we considered user experience, plan availability and communication channels available to policyholders.
Availability
UHC dental insurance is widely available in the U.S., including in Alaska and Hawaii. However, there are no plans in New York or U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico or Guam. The insurer has a network of over 100,000 dental care providers.
Customer support
UHC offers several communication channels for customer support. You can contact the company through its live chat to learn more about the policies or for assistance purchasing a plan. There are also TTY and RTT numbers listed for deaf and hard-of-hearing members and language assistance in over 60 languages.
User experience
UHC Dental members can use the online portal to check their dental benefits, find network providers and check on the status of their claims.
According to online testimonials, most users have a good experience with the company's customer service. Reviewers claim that UHC’s dental coverage is straightforward and customer service is responsive. Some policyholders complain that finding in-network dental providers is difficult, mainly when working with Medicare plans.
UnitedHealthcare Dental Insurance Customer Satisfaction
Customer satisfaction with UHC dental insurance is relatively high. On BestCompany.com, a third-party consumer review and ranking website, 66 customers gave UHC an average of 4.1 out of 5 stars.
In J.D. Power's 2022 Dental Plan Satisfaction Survey, UHC Dental ranked second, with 789 out of 1,000 points. These results are based on responses from 1,263 dental plan members and consider cost, coverage, communications, customer service, as well as claims and reimbursement.
To submit a claim, sign into your online account, go to the "Claims and Accounts" tab and select "Submit a Claim." From here, you can download and print the Medical Claims Submission form. Then, send the completed form to the address on the back of your ID card.
You usually don't have to submit a claim if you visit an in-network provider. The provider will submit a digital or paper claim to UHC for reimbursement. The only times you need to submit a claim yourself are for FSA-dependent care reimbursement, if your dentist collects payment upfront or when seeing an out-of-network provider.
The last step is to enter your payment information, be it a bank account or credit card number. UHC will use this payment for your initial and recurring premium payments. You can also speak with a licensed agent if you have further questions or to enroll by phone.
How we evaluated UnitedHeathcare Dental Insurance
To evaluate UnitedHealthcare Dental, we considered the following:
- Premiums: We took into account the plan’s monthly cost, as well as the range of price points available to fit different budgets.
- Plan selection: We looked at how many dental plan options UHC offers and whether these cover varying patient needs.
- Coverage benefits and limits: We looked at what is covered under each of UHC's dental plans and whether there are any notable limitations or exclusions. We also reviewed the annual and lifetime benefit limits.
- Waiting periods: We evaluated the waiting periods for each coverage benefit and noted any that were shorter than those set by industry counterparts.
- Availability: A dental insurance is only useful if it’s available where you live and if there are enough in-network providers. To review this, we looked at UHC’s provider network size and its plan availability by state.
- Customer satisfaction: To get a sense of where UHC stands in terms of customer satisfaction, we looked at online reviews and testimonials. We also took note of UHC's ranking in J.D Power’s 2022 U.S. Dental Plan Satisfaction Study.
Summary of Money's UnitedHealthcare Dental Insurance Review
We rated UnitedHealthcare as one of the best dental insurance providers available. The insurer offers a broad selection of dental plans, including policies with short or no waiting periods, basic or comprehensive coverage, high payout limits and coverage for out-of-network providers.
People looking for dental insurance are sure to find a plan that fits their budget and particular dental care needs. Older adults, for example, can enroll in a plan with no waiting periods and use their benefits immediately.
To learn more or enroll in a plan, visit UHC.com or call to speak with a licensed agent.