While Medicare may be the first option that comes to mind, it does not actually help with most senior dental care needs. Luckily, new dental plans for seniors are available to make it easier to afford both routine and emergency dental care throughout your retirement years. AARP dental insurance is one well-established option, but many seniors are opting for dental savings plans instead.

See our top two dental savings plans:

Not sure which plan to pick? Compare options below and discover what type of dental plan will work best for you.

The Truth About Medicare Dental Coverage

Medicare helps with medical costs for seniors, but it isn’t a viable option for senior dental insurance.

While it may help in rare cases with oral surgery – that’s related to another medical condition – Medicare does not cover routine dental care for adults 65 and over. By law, Medicare is prohibited from paying for cleanings, fillings, crowns, dentures and most other dental work. Although there are a few exceptions, you cannot look to Medicare as a source of senior dental insurance.

“By law, Medicare is prohibited from paying for cleanings, fillings, crowns, dentures and most other dental work.”

What Should My Senior Dental Plan Cover?

Your dental plan should cover common dental treatments for seniors, including:

Scaling and root planing
Teeth whitening
Root canal
Dental office visit
Dentures
Surgical jaw correction
Denture hygiene care
Oral cancer treatment
Thrush treatment

These treatments address common senior dental problems:

Gum disease
Darkened teeth
Root decay
Diminished sense of taste
Dry mouth
Loss of teeth
Uneven jawbone
Tissue inflammation with dentures
Oral cancer
Thrush

What Senior Dental Plans Are Available?

Does AARP Offer Dental Insurance?

Millions of people over 50 have joined the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). If you are a member in good standing, you are eligible to sign up for the AARP dental insurance plan administered by Delta Dental.

With this plan, you have a choice between two types of coverage: Plan A & B (both PPOs) or DeltaCare USA (a DHMO). However, these plans come with higher premiums than many other dental plan options, have annual maximums of $1,500, year-long waiting periods for some procedures and exclusions of certain pre-existing conditions.

What Is the Best Dental Plan for Seniors?

Dental savings plans are popular dental insurance alternatives that are sometimes overlooked by seniors but can offer excellent savings. Also called discount dental plans, these plans are affordable, cost-effective and can help you receive significant discounts at the dentist time and time again. These dental plans are perfect for individuals on a fixed income who are looking for savings at EVERY dental visit, no matter how much work is needed.

Dental savings plans reduce dental costs in retirement for seniors. These senior dental plans are an excellent alternative to the AARP program for a number of reasons:

Everyone is Accepted

They don’t require that you be a member of AARP or any other organization in order to join.

No Restrictions

They don’t have many of the cumbersome restrictions found with the AARP.

No Waiting

You don’t have to wait a year if you need a crown or dentures, and there is never an annual maximum cap.

Immediate Dental Savings

For a low monthly fee, your savings can begin right away.

Learn more about how a dental savings plan can provide you with inexpensive, superior care for the dental procedures you need.

What’s the Difference Between AARP Dental Insurance and Top Dental Savings Plans?

Dental Access powered by the Aetna Dental Access Network and Careington Care 500 are the two most powerful dental savings plans nationwide.

	Dental Insurance			Dental Savings Plans
Features	AARP Plan A (PPO)	AARP Plan B (PPO)	DeltaCare USA (DHMO)	1Dental Aetna Dental Access Network	1Dental Careington Care 500 Plan
Plan Cost	$63.93/mo	$43.32/mo	$32.69/mo	$14.95/mo (+$30 setup fee for first month)
Annual Deductible	$40	$90	None	None
Annual Maximum	$1,500	$1,000	None	None
Waiting Period to Start Plan	1st of the month		1st of the month	Within a week	No waiting! Starts instantly!
Waiting Period to Save on Dentures + Crowns	1 year		None	None
Dentists Near Me (Dallas, TX)	1000+		219	1000+
Saves on Costmetic Procedures	No		No	Yes!
Saves on Pre-Existing Conditions	No exclusions for most pre-existing conditions	No exclusions for most pre-existing conditions	No exclusions for any pre-existing conditions	No exclusions for any pre-existing conditions
Eligibility	Primary enrollee must be a current AARP member		Primary enrollee must be a current AARP member	Anyone can join!

The prices listed above are based on an individual plan in Dallas, TX. Number of dentists and AARP plan prices will vary by location.

Learn More About These New Senior Dental Plan Options

These affordable insurance alternatives are helping seniors around the country get the dental care they need, when they need it.

Do Seniors Like Dental Savings Plans? Hear Diane’s Personal Dental Savings Story

Many traditional senior dental insurance plans max out your savings at $1,500 a year and have long waiting periods for procedures you need. Diane and her husband signed up, were able to get the dental work they needed right away and saved $3,000 in just 3 months.