Insurance
Sacramento Dental Insurance
The Sacramento Dentistry Group accepts dental insurance from the following list of providers. If you do not see your insurance company listed here, feel free to speak with our office manager by calling 916-538-6900. If we have already considered your provider, we’ll let you know. If your provider is new to us, we can consider including them on our list of approved dental insurers.
If you are a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces, you can also talk to our staff about enrolling in the Veterans Preferred Plan, offered directly by the Sacramento Dentistry Group. This plan provides substantial discounts for veterans and their families.
Sacramento Dentistry Group Insurance Providers
Information about each provider is available by selecting the appropriate link. If you have questions about insurance providers, such as whether you should subscribe to an HMO or a PPO, feel free to contact us online with your request via or at 916-538-6900.
Aetna Dental Insurance
Aetna offers four different types of plans for businesses offering dental insurance. These include an HMO or PPO, Indemnity Plan and a Hybrid Plan. They no longer offer plans to individuals purchasing dental insurance in California.
Aetna Dental HMO
Aetna calls this plan a DMO or Dental Maintenance Organization. They assign you a Primary Care Dentist (PCD) who cares for most of your dental needs, with referrals to specialists going through your PCD. This plan is the least expensive out of all their insurance options.
Aetna Dental PPO
The Aetna PPO allows you to use any dentist of your choice, with discounts on plan services if you use a dentist in the Aetna network, such as those at the Sacramento Dentistry Group. While you pay more in premiums than under the DMO plan, you have greater flexibility, especially in your choice of dental specialists.
Aetna Indemnity Dental Plan
Under this plan, an employer can offer workers participation in the Aetna DMO or an indemnity plan, which is similar to self-insurance. If an employee chooses the indemnity option, they cover their own dental costs and are reimbursed afterwards in accord with the dental insurance policy limits. The indemnity plan is useful for workers who have their own dentist and do not want their dentist selected for them by Aetna. DMO participants have all the benefits of the Aetna DMO plan.
Aetna Dental Hybrid Plan
The Hybrid Plan is also a business option. Under this plan, employers may offer either the Aetna DMO or the Aetna PPO dental insurance plans. This allows employees with their own dentist to select the PPO option and employees without a preferred dentist to select the cheaper DMO option.
Aetna has one of the largest selections of insurance plan options for business owners offering healthcare benefits. While the Sacramento Dentistry Group recommends the PPO insurance method, Aetna’s variety means that an employer is likely to find a match for their specific needs at Aetna if other plans have failed to provide a useful offer.
Anthem BlueCross Dental Insurance
Anthem BlueCross (there is no space between “Blue” and “Cross”) offers three different types of dental insurance, with different levels of coverage within each type. The Sacramento Dentistry Group particpates with the Anthem network, so you receive better pricing when you bring your insurance to us, compared to non-network dentists. They offer many different dental packages, giving you many options with multiple levels of monthly costs. They also offer dental insurance to individuals, a decided benefit for the self-employed. Here are the basic facts about their different levels of coverage.
Dental Prime offers:
Three coverage levels, from basic to comprehensive, each at different price points.
Choose any Sacramento dentist.
Receive free preventative services under all levels of coverage.
The other two types of insurance are an HMO Plan or a PPO Plan.
Under the HMO Dental Insurance Plan:
No copayments for many types of coverage, from preventive to fillings.
No annual maximums for services provided.
Fixed copays for orthdontic treatments.
Your dentist is selected for you from the Dental Blue network.
Under the Dental Blue PPO Dental Insurance Plan:
Choose from two different coverage levels, Basic and Enhanced.
Go to the dentist of your choice.
Automatic coverage for many types of services.
Anthem BlueCross also allows you to combine your dental plan with other health care offerings.
Blue Shield Dental Insurance
Blue Shield offers dental health insurance plans that are basically HMO or PPO plans. These PPO plans offer the flexibility of choosing your dentist from over 21,000 providers in California. Coverage for most services is immediate, with the exception of orthodontics coverage. For orthodontics (which is treatment for crooked teeth with braces, Invisalign or Six Month Smiles), plan members must wait for one year after starting their coverage to receive benefits.
The Sacramento Dentistry Group accepts plans from Blue Shield, although for the HMO plan we are only part of the Federal Employee network. We also recommend that patients do not select the Enhanced PPO plans, as these do not include orthodontic coverage. For families or people who would consider orthodontic treatment, the HMO or standard Dental PPO plan or Dental & Vision plan are best.
Cigna Dental Insurance
All Cigna dental insurance plans are PPO plans. Therefore, you get to choose your preferred dentist for regular or specialty treatment. Cigna does maintain a dental network of 72,000 dentists and specialists nationwide and if you select a dentist in this network, you will see cost advantages. Like UnitedHealthcare, Cigna is advantageous for families of four or more, because while the individual deductible is $50, the maximum family deductible is $150, so once you’ve paid a deductible for three people, you no longer owe any deductibles for the rest of the year. Cigna is offered to individuals in every state, except Washington.
Within their insurance arrangement, Cigna has three levels of coverage:
Cigna Preventive Dental Insurance
All preventive services are covered with no yearly maximum, but any restorative or orthodontic procedures are the responsibility of the patient. Discounts for all services are available.
Cigna 1000 Dental Insurance
This program provides coverage for preventive, diagnostic and restorative procedures, up to $1,000 maximum per person. Orthodontic coverage is dealt with separately, but has a lifetime coverage maximum of $1,000 per patient.
Cigna 1500 Dental Insurance
Cigna’s premier dental insurance plan, this program has all the benefits of Cigna 1000 with a higher maximum of $1,500 for preventive, diagnostic and restorative procedures per patient. The orthodontic lifetime maximum is still $1,000 per person.
Delta Dental
Delta Dental Insurance for Employers
Delta Dental offers a very large network of participating dentists and three different types of insurance plans for business owners to offer to their Sacramento employees. This is the Sacramento Dentistry Group’s preferred dental insurance provider.
Delta Dental PPO
This PPO program allows employees to choose their own Sacramento dentist from within the Delta network or outside the network. Cost savings are available if patients use a Delta Dental dentist. With more than 150,000 participating dental practices nationwide, the selection is quite large, including the Sacramento Dentistry Group.
Delta Dental Premier
This Delta Dental indemnity dental insurance plan offers even greater flexibility in patient choice for dental care. Eighty percent of dentists nationwide, four out of every five, participate in the Delta Dental Premier network. This realizes significant savings for patients and lower premiums for businesses and employees. The Sacramento Dentistry Group participates in the Delta Dental Premier insurance program.
DeltaCare USA
This is the Delta Dental HMO program, with providers selected from the Delta Dental network of dentists. Patients select a Sacramento dentist from the Delta list of providers, including the Sacramento Dentistry Group, and have access to some 250 different dental procedures for a set copayment or no copayment, with no deductibles or maximum coverage amounts. This is the easiest type of coverage for employees to use, with fixed costs for treatments.
Delta Dental Individual
Delta Dental is one of the largest dental insurance providers in the United States and is preferred over all other insurance providers by the Sacramento Dentistry Group. They offer all types of dental insurance and have a number of individual plans that are sponsored by various organizations, such as Costco, the AARP and others. The Delta Dental individual dental insurance offerings recently changed to only include the Dental Dental HMO Dental Plan here in the Sacramento area.
Delta Dental HMO Dental Plan
One Sacramento dentist or dental practice covers all of your dental needs under the Delta Dental DHMO Plan. Referrals to a specialist are managed by your primary dentist and may require pre-authorization from Delta Dental. There are no percentages or maximums to manage, which makes this the easiest and simplest of all the Delta Dental insurance plans. Each treatment type has a preset copayment that you pay, based on your level of coverage. This is the primary form of DeltaCare USA dental coverage. You may select a Sacramento Dentistry Group dentist.
Guardian Dental Insurance
The Sacramento Dentistry Group accepts all of the Guardian dental insurance plans offered in California, except the HMO plan. Coverage varies by employer, but Guardian PPO plan members may expect to receive these valuable benefits:
In-Network Discount
PPO plans give members the freedom to choose their own dentist. The Sacramento Dentistry Group is a member of the Guardian network, so our patients with Guardian receive the in-network cost benefits.
Maximum Rollover
If you are covered for your dental needs through Guardian, you don’t need to worry about losing your unused benefits. With maximum rollover, a certain amount of the unused benefits from one year are applied to the next year with no penalties. It’s possible to score a higher rollover amount by using an in-network dentist, like the Sacramento Dentistry Group.
If you have questions about your Guardian dental insurance coverage or would like to know more about what the Sacramento Dentistry Group provides or how we can assist you, please contact us at (916) 538-6900, through our on-line form or visit us at 1105 E Street in downtown Sacramento.
Humana Dental
“Go Humans!” is a popular cry in some circles, emphasizing that all people, regardless of race, creed or social background, have similar needs and wants. Humana Dental strives to help clients with basic medical needs, including dentistry. For California individuals, they offer PPO insurance. They also are one of the few insurers to offer a program specifically for California veterans. For group plans offered by businesses, they offer a wider variety of programs. The Sacramento Dentistry Group accepts Humana Dental.
Individual Humana Insurance Plans
These are the plans offered in California for families purchasing their own dental insurance:
Dental Preventive Plus
Preventive Plus is a basic PPO insurance plan. The deductible structure is similar to that of other insurers, with a $50 individual deductible and a $150 family deductible. Routine cleanings and x-rays are covered 100%, and there is some coverage for basic services like fillings. For details about costs beyond these procedures, check with our friendly office staff or contact Humana Dental directly.
Dental Loyalty Plus
Loyalty Plus is about twice the cost of the Preventive Plus plan, but it offers a loyalty incentive, as its name implies. With each year, up to three years, your benefit value increases, with greater maximum benefits, and lower deductibles, as time goes on. If you are certain that you will stick to one plan, the Loyalty Plus package will present advantages worth its extra cost over time.
Humana Preventive Plus Package for Veterans
This package is similar to the Dental Preventive Plus program, but it features additional services at a discount. These services are provided by other medical facilities in the Humana network, but they are included in the cost of your dental insurance. With the California Veterans package, in addition to dental coverage, you also receive discounts on:
Vision care,
Urgent care,
Prescription drugs,
Chiropractic service,
massage therapy,
acupuncture therapy
The Sacramento Dentistry Group also offers a Veterans Discount Program. Contact our staff to determine if you can combine this program with the benefits offered by the Humana package. Call us at 916-538-6900, use our website to ask your questions, or stop by our convenient downtown Sacramento office at 1105 E Street.
Group Plans from Humana Dental
These are the group plans offered with employee benefits by Humana Dental. The Sacramento Dentistry Group is a network provider for all of them, giving you the maximum discounts possible.
Traditional Preferred
While this is the most expensive Humana Dental program, it also features the highest level of coverage and reimbursement for dental services. Unlike the individual PPO plan, major dental work (such as crowns, bridges and dentures) is covered. Coinsurance levels are the same whether you use an in-network or out-of-network dentist.
PPO
The Preferred Provider Organization insurance from Humana Dental is like the Traditional Preferred program, because it covers major dental work. Where it varies is in the level of coverage. Patients face higher copays with the PPO plan in exchange for lower monthly or annual expense. If your employer covers all benefit premiums, then the Traditional Preferred coverage is preferable. If not, then the PPO may be the better fit for your family, especially if you have generally good dental health and oral hygiene habits.
Preventive Plus
This plan is cheaper than the previous two, but it does not feature automatic coverage for major dental services. At that point it becomes a dental discount program. Nevertheless, it still features the classic PPO benefit — you get to choose your Sacramento dentist.
Metlife Dental Insurance
MetLife Company Dental Insurance
MetLife only offers dental insurance through employer-based programs. Like most plans designed for employers, MetLife can provide a HMO or PPO experience for your employees. Their network of dental providers is quite large and the number of services they provide under their HMO plan is very extensive (over 400 procedures).
The MetLife Dental PPO
Like most PPO programs, the MetLife PPO (or DPPO, as they call it) allows employees to choose their own dentist or to select a dentist from the MetLife network of approved dentists. Choosing a network dentist provides an employee with discounts on service ranging from 10-35%, compared to using an out-of-network dentist. There is a maximum on annual coverage for dental services.
The MetLife Dental HMO
The MetLife HMO was previously operated as Safeguard Dental Insurance. It is now called the Safeguard DHMO. While you must choose a dentist from the MetLife network of providers, you may change your dentist monthly and each family member may have a different dentist, based on individual needs. When it is necessary to visit a specialist, you may go with your primary dentist’s recommendation or select your own specialist from the network. Their are no annual maximums on coverage or deductibles, but there are set copayments for services provided
Premier Access Dental Insurance
Premier Access is based in Sacramento and provides health insurance, including medical and vision, in addition to dental, across the United States. The Sacramento Dentistry Group accepts their workplace insurance using the PPO options and coverage for children and teenagers via Covered California.
Premier Access Company Dental Insurance
For companies, Premier Access offers five different dental insurance options:
PPO Plan — employees select their own Sacramento dentist, but will save money if they choose from the Premier Access network.
Premier Advantage — workers can choose a PPO plan from month to month, based on their dental care needs.
Plus Plans — works like a PPO, but with lower monthly premiums. Costs for services may be higher.
Dual Option — employers can offer a choice of plans or offer high/low plans with the level of service adjusted by premium costs.
Compared to other business dental insurers, Premier Access offers many options for companies to choose from for their employees.
Premier Access Covered California
This dental insurance is only for children under nineteen years of age. You can choose from the PPO options and there are high and low options for both plan types. Under the PPO plan, parents pay a specific percentage of dental services provided. The Sacramento Dentistry Group accepts the Premier PPO plan.
Principal Dental Insurance
The Sacramento Dentistry Group accepts Principal dental insurance and takes patients using their PPO plan. Exact coverages may vary by employer. Common aspects of the Principal plans accepted by our Sacramento dentists are explained below.
Principal PPO Dental Insurance
Principal’s PPO dental plan offers an in-network discount for patients who select their dentists within the Principal network. Of course, since it is a PPO, you have the freedom to choose any dentist you wish, but you receive the maximum benefits when you select the Principal network dentists at the Sacramento Dentistry Group for your oral health needs.
Maximum Benefit Accumulation
The Principal PPO also has “maximum accumulation of benefits.” This allows the patient to carry over a portion of unused benefits to next year’s benefit amount. Qualifying patients must have had a dental service performed within the calendar year and used less than the maximum threshold amount allowed according to the individual plan. While annual visits to the Sacramento Dentistry Group are better than no visits at all, we make sure you always qualify for “maximum benefits accumulation” by encouraging you to visit our Sacramento dentists twice a year, not just once.
At the Sacramento Dentistry Group we are happy to answer questions about your Principal dental insurance and assist you and your family to receive the best dental care possible. Please contact us at 916-538-6900, through our contact page, or by visiting our office in downtown Sacramento at 1105 E St.
United Concordia Dental Insurance
United Concordia Dental Insurance was formerly a good option for individuals without an employer sponsored dental plan. They have now switched to only offering dental insurance through health benefits packages provided by businesses. These include a variety of PPO plans.
United Concordia no longer offers the iDental Discount plan to individual buyers, although it is still available for employers to offer employees. This plan is inexpensive, but it is essentially not an insurance program, but more like a dental discount membership.
The United Concordia Insurance Plans
United Concordia offers multiple options for their PPO plans. They are the Active PPO (Concordia Preferred), the Passive PPO (Concordia Flex) and the UCElect Series.
Active PPO
The Active PPO provides better coverage from in-network dentists compared to out-of-network dentists. Selecting this plan would likely result in personal cost savings when you receive dental treatment.
Passive PPO
The Passive PPO provides the same coverage, whether you select an in-network or out-of-network dentist.
UCElect Series
Under this plan, the employer selects two different levels of Passive PPO coverage. The employee then has a choice, based on the level of coverage desired and the costs they are willing to incur.
Optional Gum Disease Coverage
Any of the PPO plans have an election for additional periodontal coverage for treatment and prevention of persistent gum disease. This option is called Smile for Health—Wellness. Gum disease is especially common or threatening for people with the following circumstances:
Coronary Artery Disease (heart attack victims),
Cerebral Vascular Disease (stroke victims),
Organ transplant,
Rheumatoid arthritis
Our Sacramento dentists would like to suggest that this coverage is also useful for pregnant women or those who are planning a pregnancy in the near future. If you have valued employees who experience any of these conditions, this added coverage may play a role in keeping them healthy and active in the workplace.
UnitedHealthcare Dental Insurance
Dental Insurance With an Advantage for Large Families
UnitedHealthcare (yes, there’s no space between “United” and “Healthcare”) offers multiple levels of dental insurance that basically operate as PPO plans. Our Sacramento dentists are available to you with the higher quality, patient choice Premier plans. If you leave Northern California, you may choose from their national network of over 210,000 dental providers.
The Large Family Benefit
UnitedHealthcare is especially beneficial for large families due to how they apply individual deductibles. For each person in a family, a $50 deductible is paid for any dental services beyond typical preventive care (“preventive care” being dental cleanings). Once you pay $150 in deductibles, however, you no longer have no more deductibles applied to your family that year. So if you have four or more family members and you all require dental treatment, your deductible costs will be reduced compared to other insurance programs.
The Premier Insurance Plan
The levels of coverage provided by UnitedHealthcare include the different Premier insurance plans. If you have Premier coverage and want to use an out-of-network dentist, UnitedHealthcare pays your “reasonable” dental expenses, up to $1000 per person annually. You can use the Premier plan with the Sacramento Dentistry Group.
