Apply for Dental Insurance

Get dental insurance quotes by applying for dental insurance online and shopping various dental care plan options.

Looking for dental insurance? Applying for dental insurance can be a quick, straightforward process. You can apply for personal dental insurance online to start exploring different dental care plan options.

Unlike health insurance, typically there’s no need to share a ton of personal information, wait for strict enrollment periods, or cross your fingers that your application will be approved when you apply for dental insurance. Guardian Direct® requires basic information to provide a quote for dental insurance coverage based on your location, preferences, how many individuals will be covered by your plan and other factors.

Once you’ve settled on a plan, you can enroll immediately with instant approval and guaranteed acceptance. After enrolling, you can start using your benefits to cover cleanings and x-rays as soon as the first of the next calendar month. Learn more about how to shop around for dental care plans and apply for dental insurance.

Dental insurance quotes

Dental insurance policies vary a great deal across insurance carriers. Most dental insurance companies even offer multiple plan options to choose from as well. So, what’s the best way to compare dental care plans? How can you shop for dental insurance with confidence?

As you compare dental insurance policies across carriers, requesting a quote will help you determine how the value of one policy measures up against another. While dental insurance premium costs are fixed, they can vary based on many factors, including your location, how many individuals are covered under your plan, coverage amounts, and dental services covered. Understanding how much dental insurance typically costs on average can help you make a decision, but a reliable way to identify exactly how much you’ll pay in monthly premiums is to request a quote directly from an insurance carrier. Requesting an insurance quote is a relatively straightforward process. To get a quote from Guardian Direct, you’ll only have to provide basic personal information, including:

• Your name

• Your age range

• Your email address

• The names and ages of your spouse/dependents who will be covered under your plan

• Your address

• Basic information about your dental care needs

Immediately upon submitting that information, Guardian Direct will present you with an automatic quote for the plan that best fits your needs, along with the option to view all plans available in your area.

Once you find a plan that’s a good fit for your budget and your preferences, you can go ahead and enroll in that same plan online.

However, there’s no rush to accept the first quote you receive. Getting an insurance quote doesn’t require any level of commitment or payment information. If you'd prefer to continue to shop dental insurance options from other carriers or even different plans from the same carrier, you can always take note of the dental insurance quote you’ve received and come back once you’re ready to enroll. Guardian Direct saves dental insurance quotes using your email address, so there’s no need to repeat the brief application process.

It may be a good idea to request a quote from various insurance carriers, take note of the prices and coverage amounts, then compare policies before committing to one dental insurance plan.

Wisdom teeth insurance

Typically, dental insurance covers a portion of the cost of a wide range of dental services. All dental insurance covers different procedures at different levels. There’s no need to purchase one type of insurance specifically to cover the cost of wisdom teeth extractions. Many comprehensive dental insurance plans have some level of benefits for wisdom teeth removal. However, less comprehensive dental insurance plans may not cover wisdom teeth extractions at all. If you’re looking to purchase dental insurance to help cover the cost of future wisdom teeth extractions, be sure to check your policy carefully to make sure those procedures will be covered.

Dental insurance carriers typically split dental procedures up into three categories: preventative services, basic services, and major services. Preventative services typically include routine or diagnostic procedures such as cleanings, X-rays, and checkups. Basic services typically include procedures such as fillings and simple extractions. Major services typically include procedures such as root canals, implants, and complex extractions.

While there is no standard classification across insurance companies, wisdom tooth extractions typically fall into the major category. When determining whether a certain dental insurance plan may cover a portion of the cost of wisdom tooth extractions, check the percentage at which major services are covered. For example, Guardian Direct Core and Guardian Direct Achiever plans both cover major services at up to 50% after a 12-month waiting period and subject to annual maximums, while Guardian Direct Starter* plans do not offer any coverage for major services. If you’re looking for wisdom teeth insurance, consider Guardian Direct Core or Guardian Direct Achiever.

Note that in practice, plan coverage for wisdom teeth extractions varies. Some companies require evidence that the procedure is medically necessary before they will pay out any benefits. If you already have a dental insurance plan that offers coverage for major services, consider having your dentist submit a pre-authorization to your insurance company before having your wisdom teeth removed. That way, you’ll know how much your insurance will pay and how much you should expect to pay out-of-pocket.

Personal dental insurance

Though many Americans receive dental benefits from their full-time employers, you don’t have to join a group plan to enjoy quality dental insurance coverage. It’s possible to purchase personal dental insurance directly from an insurance provider. Personal dental insurance is an excellent option if you’re self-employed, your employer doesn’t offer dental benefits, or you’d prefer the flexibility of choosing a plan that best suits your needs. It can cover just you or your entire family.

Guardian Direct offers three tiers of plans so you can customize your dental coverage to your budget – without having to worry about experiencing a lapse in coverage or changing plans if your employment situation changes. Here’s a brief overview of the plans Guardian Direct offers:

• Guardian Direct Achiever offers our most comprehensive coverage. It covers preventive services at up to 100%, basic services at up to 70%, major services at up to 50%, and orthodontic services for covered children under 19 at up to 50%, subject to annual maximums and waiting periods.

• Guardian Direct Core offers excellent coverage for individuals and families who visit the dentist frequently and are thinking about more complex dental work. It covers preventive services at up to 80%, basic services at up to 50%, and major services at up to 50%, subject to annual maximums and waiting periods.

• Guardian Direct Starter offers our most affordable coverage for people who are looking to save on the cost of routine dental treatment. It covers preventive services at up to 100% and basic services at up to 50%, subject to annual maximums and waiting periods.

How to shop for dental insurance

It’s possible to shop for dental insurance without ever leaving your couch or picking up the phone. Affordable dental insurance policies are available for purchase online. In fact, you can complete the entire dental insurance application process online, from researching plans to requesting quotes to comparing policies to enrolling in a plan. And once you’re done shopping and enrolling, you’re eligible to receive coverage for basic preventative services as soon as the first of the next calendar month.

If you’d prefer, you can also purchase dental insurance over the phone or through an agent, but online is often the fastest and a convenient way. Buying online only takes a matter of minutes, and you can do it anytime – at your convenience.

Choose a dental care plan – Insights

When it comes to choosing a dental care plan, you have a lot of options. The first dental insurance plan you encounter may not be the best one for your needs and budget. It may be a good idea to shop around and request quotes from various insurance carriers before settling on just one company and plan.

Before enrolling, be sure to review the policy carefully so you’re aware of how your policy works, what services are covered, and any applicable deductibles, waiting periods, and annual maximums that may come into play.

A comprehensive dental insurance plan can help you care for your entire family’s oral health while helping you save on the cost of treatment. We’ve compiled a list of resources to help you make an informed decision when choosing a dental insurance plan:

• What’s the best way to get a dental insurance plan? Learn how to buy dental insurance online. 

• How much should you expect to pay for a quality dental insurance plan? Learn how much dental insurance costs. 

• Do you need full-coverage dental insurance? Learn about comprehensive dental insurance plans available to you. 

• Besides wisdom teeth removal, what else does dental insurance cover? Learn what services dental insurance typically covers. 

• Looking for an independent dental insurance policy? Learn how to apply for standalone dental insurance. 

• Ready to apply for a dental insurance policy? Start the process here.