Frequently Asked Questions

A. Delta Dental offers individual dental plans in most states. To see which plans are available where you live, use our individual dental insurance locator.

A. Delta Dental has a variety of dental insurance plans designed for groups and individuals. We offer preferred provider organization (PPO), dental health maintenance organization (DHMO) and dental discount plans. Availability varies from state to state, so check with your local Delta Dental member company to see what's available in your area.

A. Yes, in some states we offer DeltaVision. Learn more and find out where it's available on our DeltaVision page. Many of our dental plans also include discounts on vision services. Check with your local member company to determine if they offer this benefit.

A. You can easily determine what plan you have and the services it covers by logging into your Subscriber Connection account. Just enter your username and password in the subscriber login box. You may verify benefits, track claims and more once you log into your account. If you are not registered, register now for an account.

A. You can find this information online using our Subscriber Connection. You will need to register and log in in order to use this feature.

A. Our dentist search tool allows you to search for dentists in your area by address or zip code. You'll need to know which network(s) your plan allows access to in order to search. Our tool also gives you the option to search by additional criteria such as dentist or practice name, specialty, languages spoken, gender and hours of service.

A. DeltaCare USA, our dental health maintenance organization (DHMO) product, requires subscribers to choose a Primary Care Dentist from our DeltaCare USA network. To find a DeltaCare USA dentist near you, visit our Dentist Search.

A. Delta Dental has four out of every five dentists as members of our network, so it's likely that your dentist is in one of our networks. Our dentist search tool will help you find out if your dentist is part of our networks. You'll also want to check your benefits to see which networks you have access to. In most cases, you can continue to visit your dentist even if he or she isn't in our network, but you'll save more money if you choose an in-network dentist.

A. When you visit a network dentist, you'll enjoy the following benefits:

Lower out-of-pocket costs than if you received care from a non-participating dentist because our network dentists have agreed to accept reduced fees. Balance billing is not allowed, because participating dentists agree to accept Delta Dental's fee and the patient co-payment or deductible (if applicable) as full payment. There are no forms for you to fill out because participating dentists submit claims directly to Delta Dental. We pay the dentist directly, so you don't have to pay the dentist and wait for a reimbursement check. You can have confidence that we have an ongoing relationship with our participating dentists and have ensured they meet national credentialing standards.

A. Many of our plans allow you to visit any dentist you choose, while others require you to visit a network dentist in order to receive benefits. However, even for plans that do allow subscribers to visit out-of-network dentists, services performed by out-of-network dentists are covered at a lower benefit level and out-of-pocket costs may be higher. Overall, subscribers receive the greatest value when they visit a participating dentist.

A. We would be happy to talk with your dentist about the benefits of joining Delta Dental's networks. If you would like Delta Dental to invite your dentist to join, contact the Delta Dental member company in the state where your dentist practices.

A. With most Delta Dental plans you can see a specialist with no prior approval, and we have a number of specialists in our extensive national networks. On our nationwide dentist search, you have the option to search in your area for a specialist that participates in our networks, including oral surgeons, pediatric dentists and orthodontists. Check your benefits information to determine if your plan requires pre-authorization to visit a specialist.

A. Our networks are nationwide and most of our dental plans allow you to visit a dentist anywhere within the 50 states and Puerto Rico and receive the same benefits you would receive at home.

A. Some Delta Dental products offer coverage for dental care received outside of the US. Inquire with your Delta Dental member company or your benefits administrator to find out if your plan offers this coverage.

A. Most dentists, whether a member of the Delta Dental network or not, will submit claim forms on your behalf. However, if you do need to submit a claim yourself, we have forms available for you to download. The forms are specific to each state, and will include the appropriate address to send in your claim. To download a form, log in to our Subscriber Connection.

A. Your subscriber ID number is either your Social Security Number or an alternate ID number assigned by your group or your Delta Dental member company. In many cases, you can use either your Social Security Number or your Subscriber ID to register for an account on deltadental.com. The easiest way to determine your subscriber ID is to contact the Delta Dental member company that provides your dental benefits.

A. Many Delta Dental member companies offer printable ID cards on their websites, or the ability to request a new ID card through the mail. Connect with your Delta Dental member company to find out more information. However, in most cases you do not need an ID card to visit the dentist.

A. Typically one of the dental plans will be considered your primary plan. This plan will pay towards your dental care first. Any additional plans that you are covered under will pay towards whatever portion is remaining. Your plan information will have a coordination of benefits provision that explains how it is handled by your plan. Regardless of how the coordination is handled, the plans cannot pay more than 100 percent of the cost of your treatment.

A. Your Delta Dental member company is best equipped to help you with specific questions about your benefits and claims. The easiest way to find out which member company you should contact is to login to our Subscriber Connection. Your member company will be identified prominently on left side of the screen.
If you are a group subscriber, your member company is most likely located in the state where your company is headquartered. If you are an individual subscriber, your member company serves the state where you live. Once you've determined which member company your benefits are offered by, our member company locator can help you get contact information.

A. An annual maximum is the maximum dollar amount a dental benefit plan will pay toward the cost of dental care within a specific benefit period, usually a calendar year. Most Delta Dental plans have an annual maximum, and you can determine what yours is and how much you've already used by checking your benefits and eligibility on our Subscriber Connection.

A. This is the time period within which your dental benefits are calculated. This is usually based on a calendar year (January through December). Check your benefits on our Subscriber Connection to determine your benefit period.

A. The portion of the cost of your dental treatment that you are required to pay. Most dental plans pay a pre-determined percentage of the cost, and you pay your coinsurance amount even after your deductible is reached.

A. When you have coverage under more than one dental plan, the plans will coordinate to ensure they don't pay more than 100 percent of your total dental expenses.

A. A specific dollar amount that you must pay before the dental plan begins to cover your expenses.

A. This is a document you receive from Delta Dental after you visit the dentist. It is not a bill, but rather an explanation of what procedures were performed and what was covered by your dental plan. Though EOBs vary across Delta Dental member companies, they should include the dentist's fee, the portion Delta Dental paid and any amount you may owe (such as deductible, coinsurance or non-covered services). It should also include an update on how much of your annual maximum has been used and the amount you've paid toward your deductible.

A. Because most dental plans don't cover every aspect of dental care, each plan will some limitations and exclusions related to type or number of procedures, number of visits or age limits. Check your plan booklet for specific details on your plan's limitations and exclusions.

A. For more extensive treatments, a dentist can request a cost estimate from Delta Dental. This pre-treatment estimate will let you know in advance what procedures are covered and how much you will have to pay towards the treatment.

A. It's easy—using our online registration, all you'll need to provide is your name, social security number or subscriber ID, and date of birth. Once you've registered, you'll have access to your benefits and eligibility information and claims status for yourself and any dependents on your plan. The best part is for most member companies, once you are signed in at deltadental.com, you can visit their site for additional services without having to log in or create a separate account.

A. Not unless they are covered under a separate plan. At this time we only support account access for the primary subscriber, not spouses or dependents.

A. If you forget your username or password, there are links under the login box to help you retrieve your username or password. You'll need to know your subscriber ID (which is often your social security number) in order to retrieve them.

A. Our national website is a great place to search for a dentist, check your benefits and eligibility and view claims. However, most member companies offer more information and additional tools on their websites than we do on deltadental.com, so we recommend visiting their site to get the most robust information available about your benefits. In many cases, you can log in at deltadental.com and be directed to your member company without having to log in a second time.

A. Yes, under most circumstances our system will connect your new benefits with your existing account. Because processes vary across our member companies, you may notice your Delta Dental member company has automatically updated the next time your log in, or it may be necessary to visit the Edit Profile page and manually switch your account to your new member company. If neither of these options works for you, contact Delta Dental Plans Association for assistance.

A. Yes, under most circumstances our system will connect your new benefits with your existing account. Because processes vary across our member companies, you may notice your Delta Dental member company has automatically updated the next time your log in, or it may be necessary to visit the Edit Profile page and manually switch your account to your new member company. If neither of these options works for you, contact Delta Dental Plans Association for assistance.