Waiting period calculator · Your plan dates · Free
When does my dental insurance start paying?
Enter the day your coverage starts and the waiting periods in your plan documents. You get the date each kind of care becomes covered and how many days away it is.
| Kind of care | Waiting period (months) | Covered from |
|---|---|---|
| PreventiveCleanings, exams, x-rays | Enter a start date | |
| BasicFillings, simple extractions | Enter a start date | |
| MajorCrowns, root canals, bridges, dentures | Enter a start date | |
| OrthodonticsBraces and aligners, if covered at all | Enter a start date |
- The months shown are common defaults. Replace them with the numbers in your own plan documents; some plans have none.
- Recent prior coverage can shorten or remove waiting periods. Ask the plan before assuming it does.
- Do not wait out a waiting period with pain, swelling or a broken tooth. Be seen, and ask the office about the cash fee and a payment plan.
Dates only · Your plan decides what is covered · Nothing you enter is saved
What a waiting period is
Time you pay premiums before certain care is covered
A waiting period is the stretch after your coverage starts during which the plan will not pay for certain kinds of care. Plans use them so that people do not buy a policy, have expensive work done, and cancel.
Preventive care such as cleanings and exams usually has no waiting period. Basic care such as fillings often has one of around six months. Major care such as crowns, bridges and dentures often has one of six to twelve months. Orthodontic benefits, where they exist, frequently have the longest. Employer group plans are more likely to have none.
If you have had dental coverage recently, many plans will credit that time and shorten or waive the waiting periods. It has to be asked for, and usually proved with a letter from the old plan.
Table 1 — If you need care before the date
Options to ask about
| The cash fee | Ask the office for the fee without insurance and a written estimate. Some offer a discount for paying at the visit. |
| Phasing treatment | Urgent work now, and work that can safely wait scheduled after the date. Your dentist decides what can wait. |
| A payment plan | Many offices spread a fee over several months. |
| Lower-cost clinics | Dental school clinics and community health centers charge reduced fees. |
| Prior-coverage credit | If you were insured within the last few months, ask the new plan to waive the waiting period. |
Common questions
- Is there dental insurance with no waiting period?
- Yes. Some plans have no waiting periods, particularly employer group plans, and some individual plans waive them if you had recent coverage. Plans without waiting periods may have lower annual maximums or higher premiums, so read the plan summary.
- Does a waiting period apply to cleanings?
- Usually not. Most plans cover preventive care such as cleanings, exams and routine x-rays from the first day. Check your plan documents, since a few plans differ.
- Can I get a crown during the waiting period?
- You can have the treatment, but the plan will not pay for it until the waiting period for major care has passed. If the tooth is painful, cracked or infected, do not delay care for the date. Ask the office about the cash fee and a payment plan.
- Does the waiting period restart if I change plans?
- It can. A new plan may apply its own waiting periods, though many credit recent continuous coverage. Ask the new plan before you switch, and keep proof of your previous coverage.
General information · Not dental advice
The calculator turns months into dates. Your plan documents decide what is covered and when. We always recommend seeing a dentist. Nothing on this site can examine your mouth or tell you what is wrong. If something hurts, looks wrong, or worries you, book an exam, and go sooner if it is getting worse.
Emergency? If you have trouble breathing or swallowing, swelling that is spreading toward your eye or neck, a fever with facial swelling, or bleeding that will not stop, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room immediately. Full disclaimer
About this tool
This tool gives general, educational information only. It does not know your health history, has not examined you, and cannot diagnose anything or tell you what treatment you need. Use it to prepare for a conversation with your dentist, not to replace one.
Costs and coverage
Information here about dental insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, VA benefits, discount plans and financing is general and may be out of date. Plan terms and program rules differ by plan and by state, and they change. This is not insurance, financial, tax or legal advice, and it does not tell you what any plan covers. Dollar figures are typical US ranges, not quotes. Before you rely on any of it, confirm with your own plan documents, the program itself, and a written estimate from your dental office. Never put off care for pain, swelling or a broken tooth because of cost: be seen, and ask the office about the fee and a payment plan.
Medical disclaimer
The information provided on Urgent Dental Helper is for general informational and educational purposes only. It is NOT intended to be a substitute for professional medical or dental advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Urgent Dental Helper is not a dental practice, and nothing here has examined your mouth. Always see a licensed dentist, physician, or other qualified health provider in person about any dental or medical condition. Never disregard professional advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read or any result you received on this website.