Dental Insurance Cost Estimator (Educational)

How this dental estimator works (plain English)

We add your annual premiums to an estimate of your out-of-pocket from four classes: Preventive, Basic, Major, and Orthodontia. Deductible typically applies to Basic and Major, not to Preventive. The plan pays its % share but only up to the annual maximum for non-ortho and a separate lifetime max for ortho. Amounts above those caps are paid by you. Real policies may include frequency limits, per-tooth caps, waiting periods, and separate fee schedules.

Dental Insurance Inputs — Plain-English Guide (Educational)

This guide explains all inputs and outputs in the Dental Insurance Cost Estimator so you can compare plans with confidence. It’s educational (not advice or a quote) and uses widely understood terms across the UK, US, and EU. Always read your policy wording for exact benefits, exclusions, and limits.

Premiums, Tax/Levy & Currency

Monthly premium is the amount you pay to keep the policy active; the estimator multiplies it by 12 to show an annual figure. Tax/levy % lets you include local surcharges (e.g., IPT/VAT or state fees) applied to premiums. The Currency switch shows results in GBP (£), USD ($), or EUR (€); the underlying arithmetic is unchanged.

Plan Structure: Caps, Deductible & Coinsurance

Dental plans often use a plan-side cap rather than a health-style OOP max. The Annual plan maximum (non-orthodontic) is the most the plan will pay for covered services in a year; anything above that is your responsibility. The Orthodontic lifetime max limits what the plan will pay toward orthodontia across the life of the policyholder. The Annual deductible typically applies to Basic and Major classes, not Preventive. For each class, enter the plan’s share via Plan pays % — Preventive / Basic / Major / Ortho (your share is the remainder).

Waiting Periods & Coverage Status

Some policies impose waiting periods before Basic or Major services are covered. Use the toggles Waiting period over? Basic/Major to switch coverage on or off for the educational calculation.

Your Expected Use (12 Months)

• Preventive visits (cleaning/exam) × Allowed per visit: uses the in-network fee schedule; many plans cover Preventive at or near 100% (subject to frequency limits).
• Office copay per visit (optional): flat fee applied per appointment; multiplied by total visits across classes.
• Basic dentistry — allowed charges (total) and visits: e.g., fillings, simple extractions, perio scaling.
• Major dentistry — allowed charges (total) and visits: e.g., crowns, bridges, implants (where covered).
• Orthodontia — charges billed this year: annual portion of an ortho plan; the tool compares to the orthodontic lifetime maximum.
• Non-covered / out-of-network amount: anything outside the schedule or above UCR/fee caps (balance-billing), modeled as fully out-of-pocket.

How the Math Flows

The calculator first allocates your deductible to Basic/Major (if covered), then applies the class coinsurance percentages to the remaining allowed amounts to compute the plan’s pre-cap payments. It then enforces the Annual plan max for non-ortho and the Orthodontic lifetime max separately. Any benefits above those caps shift to your share. Finally, it adds office copays and any non-covered amounts. There is usually no health-style OOP maximum in dental; the plan’s caps apply to the plan, not to you.

What the Results Show

• Total annual cost = 12 × premium (+ any tax/levy) + your out-of-pocket.
• Your out-of-pocket = copays + deductible + coinsurance + amounts above plan caps + non-covered.
• Plan pays (est.) shows benefits after applying the annual and orthodontic caps.
• Class breakdown shows allowed charges, deductible consumed, plan pay before/after caps, and your share for Preventive, Basic, Major, and Ortho.

Important: Educational use only. Not advice, not a quote, and not an offer to arrange insurance. Coverage, fee schedules, and regulations vary by country and insurer. Always read the full policy documents or speak with a licensed provider/broker.