Is AARP Dental Insurance Worth It? Discover the Answer (2024)

Researchers have linked oral health to overall health, yet nearly 50% of older Americans receive no dental care. If you're 50 or older and looking for dental care, you might be asking: is AARP dental insurance worth it?

The tie between oral health and overall health is especially critical for older Americans because of chronic health problems. Older people without insurance are typically less likely to seek dental care. And oral surgery costs without insurance can be especially unaffordable for a person who’s 65 or older.

Whether the AARP dental insurance plan is for you depends on your situation. This article explores AARP dental coverage to help you decide whether it is a good fit for your oral health and financial needs.

AARP Dental Insurance

AARP offers three dental plans to its 38 million members. The plans, all of which are administered through Delta Dental Insurance Company, are designed for people over the age of 50. However, you must also be a member of AARP to be eligible.

AARP has one dental health maintenance organization (DHMO) plan and three levels of preferred provider organization (PPO) plans. All can provide coverage for preventive dental care, including treatments like cleanings, exams, and X-rays. Other basic and major services, such as dentures, teeth whitening or orthodontics, vary by plan.

All plans permit you to extend your AARP dental discounts and coverage to your spouse and dependents under 26 years old. The latter includes both stepchildren and grandchildren.

AARP Dental Insurance Plans

Here is a look at AARP membership dental benefits:

DeltaCare USA

DeltaCare USA is AARP’s DHMO plan. It’s the least expensive of the four plans offered. DeltaCare is only available in:

• Arizona

• California

• Colorado

• The District of Columbia

• Florida

• Georgia

• Illinois

• Kentucky

• Maryland

• Missouri

• New Mexico

• New York

• Ohio

• Pennsylvania

• Tennessee

• Texas

• West Virginia.

You must see one of the AARP Delta Dental network dentists to receive coverage. DeltaCare USA has fixed fees that don’t require anything out of pocket or demand little costs for these covered services:

• Cleanings

• Exams

• X-rays

• Dentures

• Orthodontics

The plan has no deductible, no annual maximum and no waiting period. Plans start at $27.80 per month.

PPO Protect

PPO Protect is the lowest of AARP’s PPO plans, offering the least amount of coverage at the least cost among the PPOs. Here’s what may be covered by the PPO Protect plan:

• Cleanings

• Exams

• X-rays

• Dentures

• TMJ treatment

PPO Protect has a $90 deductible, but it is waived for your preventive care. This plan has a $1,000 annual maximum and a 12-month waiting period for major services under AARP dental insurance. No waiting period is required for preventive services, which require a copay of 20%, including office visits.

One of the benefits of a PPO plan is you can see any dentist, although potentially at a higher cost outside the network, allowing you to keep your existing dentist. Depending on where you live, PPO Protect plans start at $32.16 per month.

PPO Protect Propel

PPO Protect Propel is the mid-level PPO coverage. It offers the same preventive dental services as the PPO Protect, as well as a few additional services, which include:

• Cleanings

• Exams

• X-rays

• Dentures

• Implants

• Orthodontics

PPO Protect Propel has a deductible of $75 that is waived for preventive care. The plan also has an annual maximum that rises each year for the first four years you’re on the dental plan. However, as your yearly maximum rises, the percentage you pay for some services drops through the first four years before remaining constant.

Here are the annual maximums from year one through year four: $1,000, $1,250, $1,500 and $1,750. While the percentage you pay for some services drops with these maximum increases, your costs for office visits, cleanings, exams and X-rays remain at zero.

Like all PPO plans, you can see an out-of-network dentist at a potentially higher cost. But unlike the others, PPO Protect Propel doesn’t have waiting periods for major services. The cost of a PPO Protect Propel plan starts at $44.44 per month.

PPO Protect Plus

At the top end of the AARP dental plans is PPO Protect Plus, a robust dental plan offering a wide range of dental services. Here are the basic services that can be covered:

• Cleanings

• Exams

• X-rays

• Dentures

• Implants

• TMJ treatments

Again, your annual deductible—$40 for this plan—is waived for cleanings, exams and X-rays, and the annual maximum of services you can receive is $2,000. Additionally, orthodontics aren’t covered at all, and there’s a nine-month waiting period for major services like the following:

• Root canals

• Implants

• Crowns

• Gum treatments

• Complete dentures

• TMJ treatments

• Veneers

The PPO Protect Plus plan starts at $52.24 per month, depending on where you live.

AARP and Delta Dental Insurance Company

So is AARP dental insurance worth it? Depending on your circumstances, it might be. First, of course, you must be an AARP member. Beyond that, whether you find value in AARP’s dental insurance can depend on your age, the health of your teeth and gums, your financial situation and other factors.

AARP dental insurance is insured and administered by Delta Dental Insurance Company under the AARP name. Delta Dental has 39 affiliate dental insurance companies.

This makes it the largest dental insurer in the United States, providing coverage in all 50 states and U.S. territories. Delta Dental serves more than 80 million customers through 150,000 dentists in its network.

An online search of AARP dental insurance reviews reveals poor ratings—one out of five stars in several states—of Delta Dental. However, the company headquarters has a Better Business Bureau rating of B+.

AARP no longer prohibits those under 50 from membership. However, you still must be 50 years or older to be a full member.

Find Dental Insurance Through ConsumerShield

If you’re over 50 years of age and looking for dental insurance, it’s reasonable to want to know: is AARP dental insurance worth it?

If you still have questions after reading about AARP dental plans, ConsumerShield is in the business of empowering you with information, and we can help. Reach out to us today to learn more about AARP vs. other dental insurance.