Root canals are expensive, so you'll probably want insurance to help you pay for it. That's why in this article we'll talk about dental insurance that covers root canals.
We'll go over the following:
- Plans with high maximums
- Plans with no waiting period
- Dental discount plans
- Other financing options
We hope this information helps you find the right root canal financing option for you.
In This Article
Best dental insurance that covers root canals
Plan | Annual maximum | Deductible | Root canal coverage | Find your plan |
Humana Extend 2500 | $2,500 | $75 |
| |
Humana Extend 5000 | $5,000 | $75 |
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NCD 3000 | $3,000 | $50 |
| |
NCD 5000 | $5,000 | $50 |
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Careington 500 Discount Plan | N/A | N/A |
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Humana Extend 2500
Humana Extend lets you combine coverage for dental, vision, and hearing, and gives customers access to a nationwide network of more than 325,000 providers for all types of dental treatment, including insurance for major care like root canals.
Here are the conditions for getting a root canal with this plan:
- Limit one per tooth per lifetime
- In network: Plan covers 50% after deductible
- Out of network: Plan covers 50% after deductible (same as in-network)
- 12 months waiting period
The highlights of this plan for all services include:
- $75 deductible per person (no deductible for in-network preventive services)
- No waiting period for preventive care, 90 days for basic care, and 12 months for major work
- $2,500 plan maximum per person per calendar year
- 100% coverage for cleanings
Humana Extend 5000
The Humana Extend 5000 plan is mostly the same as the 2500 plan, but insurance coverage for root canals and other major care goes up after the first year.
Also, as the name suggests, the plan maximum is $5,000, giving you a lot more leeway for treatment coverage, and more than enough to cover a root canal.
Have a look at the root canal conditions for this plan:
- Limit 1 tooth per lifetime
- In network: Plan covers 50% after deductible, and 60% in the second year and after
- Out of network: Plan covers 50% after deductible in the first year and 60% in the second year and after (same as in-network)
- 6-month waiting period
Here are the main features of this plan:
- $75 deductible per person (no deductible for in-network preventive services)
- No waiting period for preventive care, 90 days for basic care, and six months for major care like root canals
- $5,000 plan maximum per person per calendar year
- 100% coverage for cleanings
NCD 3000
NCD 3000 is a plan underwritten by Nationwide, which gives patients a vast network of dental providers. This plan lets you choose your dentist, with lower treatment costs when choosing an in-network dentist.
Also, there is no waiting period for root canals if you can show proof of prior coverage.
Here are the conditions for root canals:
- Plan covers 50% after deductible
- 12-month waiting period (waived with proof of previous coverage)
The main components of this plan are:
- $50 deductible per person, $150 per family
- No waiting periods for preventive care, 90 days for basic care, and 12 months for major services (unless you have proof of prior coverage)
- $3,000 plan maximum per person per calendar year
- 100% coverage for cleanings
NCD 5000
With this plan you also have access to the wide range of dentists offered by the Nationwide network. This plan is essentially the same as the 2500 plan, but the annual maximum is $5,000 instead of $3,000.
That means that this plan has the following coverage for root canals:
- Plan covers 50% after deductible
- 12-month waiting period (waived with proof of previous coverage)
The main features of this plan are:
- $50 deductible per person and $150 per family
- No waiting periods for preventive care, 90 days for basic care, and 12 months for major services (waived with proof of prior coverage)
- $5,000 plan maximum per person per calendar year
- 100% coverage for cleanings
Careington 500 Series Dental Savings
This is not a traditional dental insurance plan — instead, it what's know as a savings plan or dental discount plan.
Like insurance, it helps you save on dental care. Unlike insurance, there is no deductible, no maximum, and no waiting periods.
Instead, in exchange for a membership fee, you save money on the treatment you need.
Highlights of this savings plan include:
- Unlimited use of the plan
- 20% to 60% savings on major dental work
- Root canal anterior tooth: $513
- Root canal molar: $763
We know that dental insurance can be expensive and it can also be difficult to know which plan to choose.
But we are here for you — we've created a special comparison tool that shows you the top plans in your area to help guide you in your decision.
It takes just a few seconds to fill in your DOB and zip code, and you'll see full coverage plans that cover your needs. Get started with the form below!
Root canal financing options
In the table below you'll see the options we talked about, like dental insurance plans and discount plans, but you'll also see a couple of other options that may interest you, like dental loans and dental tourism.
In the video below, a dentist talks about alternative ways to pay for your dental care, like HSAs and discount plans.
If you don't find dental insurance for root canals that fits your budget, it's still important to look for other financing options. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 41% of adults have medical or dental debt. When asked in a survey, 59% of adults say they avoid going to the dentist because it's too expensive.
But putting off care because of the cost will end up costing you more in the long term. So consider the financing options we discussed in this article, and consult a community health center if you need more direction.
Conclusion
If you need a root canal, it's best to have some kind of insurance coverage to help you with the costs. Our top pick dental insurance for root canal coverage are HUMANA Extend and NCD plans.
You may also want to consider a dental discount plan from Careington, or other financing options like dental loans and dental tourism.
Your insurance options and prices will vary based on the state you live in. You can check out our individual state insurance plans to find out which ones are available in your state. Choose your state from the dropdown list to find out more.
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
To find the best dental insurance root canal plan for you, you can go to dentalinsurance.com. They make it easy to compare plans in your area, and you can enroll on the spot.
FAQs
What dental insurance covers root canals?
Plans Humana Extend and NCD provide coverage for root canals, and they have high annual maximums to cover your complete costs. A dental savings plan will also provide root canal discounts.
How much is a root canal in the US without insurance?
A root canal costs anywhere from $700 to $1,000 if you don't have dental insurance. Insurance may cover over half of your costs, but choose a plan with a high maximum and low deductible.
Are root canals typically covered by insurance?
Full-coverage dental insurance plans do cover root canals with coverage often starting at 50%. Basic dental plans won't cover major services like root canals, just preventive services.
Kff.org: Health Care Debt in the US: The Broad Consequences of Medical and Dental Bills. Consulted 27th July 2023.
USAToday: Why 30% of Americans haven't been to the dentist since before the pandemic. Consulted 27th January 2023.