When you think about a dental plan the first thought that may come into your mind is dental insurance, and we think dental insurance is great. It can be very helpful in saving you if it's something that's already in place and you only need one or two minor things a year at the dentist.

But in this article, I'm assuming that you don't have anything in place like that through your employer or you need so much work to be done that you need something supplementary.

The truth is that if you need dental work now and you don't have anything in place then I believe that you need a dental discount plan. Why? Because most dental insurance has a waiting period of six to twelve months before it will cover anything more than a cleaning and maybe a few fillings. With a dental discount plan, there is no waiting so you will be able to see a dentist immediately and save on all dental services. But you're probably wondering how you can choose the best plan for you.

Take this into consideration... among all the dental discount plans out there, the membership fees are all in the same ballpark of under $20 a month. But the plans themselves can vary greatly in three ways:

• How much money they will save you at the dentist
• How many dental providers are available to you nationwide
• What ancillary services are included

We'll examine these and then show you which plan we believe is the hands-down standout among the crowds.

When comparing dental savings plans you want to consider five factors: how large is the provider network, how big are the discounts, what are the membership fees, how flexible is the plan, and what do their members have to say.

Let's expand on these points.

1. Provider Network: All dental discount plans have networks of dental providers. Check the list of dentists in each network to ensure that there is an adequate number of dentists near you or if needed, your preferred dental providers are included.
2. Discounts: Compare the discounts offered by each plan. Some plans may offer different levels of coverage for various dental services. Look at the specifics of what each plan covers and the associated discounts. Any good plan should have savings up to 50% minimum with 60% preferred.
3. Cost: Consider the membership fees of each plan. Additionally, look at the out-of-pocket costs for various dental procedures to determine which plan provides better overall value.
4. Plan Flexibility: Check if the plans have any restrictions or waiting periods for certain services. Some plans may have limitations or waiting periods for specific treatments.
5. Customer Reviews and Ratings: Research customer reviews and ratings. Feedback from other members can provide insights into the overall satisfaction and experiences with the plan.

As you can see, several factors differentiate one plan from another and truthfully it can be confusing.

However, I believe that there is one clear standout. After having helped over 10,000 people with dental plans over the past 22 plans and seeing all the plans out there, I would be remiss if I didn't help you out and tell you what I think is the best dental plan available.

The truth is that there is only one dental plan that truly makes sense to join because the price is so low and the benefits so much greater than the majority of other plans that it makes the decision clear and easy.

Consider this, if the price of all the plans is in the same ballpark, why would you want to choose a plan that will only save you a max of 30%-40% when there is a good plan that can save you up to 60% and has an established reputation as a leader both in the quality dental networks they have built and the customer service they offer to their dental plan members. Plus this plan includes vision savings and is only $9.95 a month for an individual.

Another advantage of this plan is you are not limited to only one dental network. It includes access to three different dental networks. No more need to pay for multiple plans if you have dentists in different networks. Careington has combined two of the largest networks with the biggest savings: Careington Care 500 and Dentemax into this plan and also included the Careington POS network.

Largest networks, biggest savings, incredible reputation, low price, plus a 30-day satisfaction make this the winning plan in our book and we have this backed up by a mountain of positive reviews from the satisfied members we've helped to join this plan.

If you need help or have any questions about any other plans, we'll do our best to get you an answer. Feel free to reach out to us.

To learn more about the Careington Maximum Care plan and how it can work for you, click here.