Is Aetna Vital Dental Savings Plans Worth It?

Are you considering enrolling in an Aetna Dental discount plan? One of the ones you’ll want to consider is the Aetna Vital Dental Savings Plan or Aetna Vital Dental Savings Plus Rx. Whether you’re wanting to save on dental services, prescriptions, or more, this unique option through Aetna is easy to sign up for, and you can save hundreds on routine treatments, including things like optical and prescription drug coverage. So, if you don’t have dental insurance coverage through your employer and you want to sign up for something on your own, it’s worth it to consider a savings or discount option through Aetna instead of purchasing a private insurance policy.

Plan Highlights

You can get the Aetna Vital Dental Savings plan on its own, or with the Dental Plus RX card, which saves you even more because you can use it for things like eyeglasses, eye exams, LASIK eye surgery, and prescription drugs at over 68,000 pharmacies nationwide.

• As low as $9.99 a month
• No copays, deductibles, or claims to process
• Save 15-50% or more on dental treatments

Cons

This discount plan is not an insurance policy, so you don’t automatically get “free” or included cleanings and checkups (they’re priced with a discount.) That being said, there aren’t too many disadvantages when it comes to the Aetna dental discount plan:

• You’ll need to use a dentist who accepts Aetna discount plans
• Not available in some states
• Eye and pharmacy are a few dollars a month more
• Some treatments are not covered, or there is an upgrade charge (i.e., Invisalign)

Who is Aetna Vital Dental Savings Plan for?

Both individuals and families can sign up. And the monthly/annual membership is the same for all families regardless of how many people are in your household.

Once you enroll, you can use the “dental cost-of-care tool,” where you can price shop and compare fees with network and out-of-network dentists who accept the Aetna Vital Savings plan.

Key Features 

The Aetna Dental Discount Plan is similar to what you might see with other discount plans on the internet. Only in this case, it’s from a trusted and reputable company that you’ve probably already heard of (Aetna.) Aetna developed the Aetna Vital Dental Savings and Aetna Vital Dental Savings Plus Rx options for people who wanted affordable dental coverage without going through a traditional insurance policy. It includes:

• A 15-50% discount on most routine dental services
• No waiting period, so you get immediate savings
• No annual maximums, so your benefits never run out
• Pre-existing conditions are covered
• Affordable monthly or annual membership

Aetna Dental Saving Plan Benefits 

Once you sign up for the Aetna Dental discount plan, you can use your savings card at any participating dental office nationwide. But unlike dental insurance, your dentist’s office doesn’t have to process a claim or work up an estimate based on co-pays or deductibles. The Aetna Vital Dental Savings Plan simply takes a set percentage off of your fees, so you get immediate savings on the spot. Before you even call the dentist’s office or if you already have a treatment plan from one, you can use the cost comparison tool to see what the fees will be on certain procedures. That way, you’re not completely caught off guard about costs when you call to schedule an appointment.

 When you enroll in the Aetna Vital Dental Savings Plan, here’s what you get:

Dental Benefits (Approximately)

• 45-50% off basic and preventative treatments (exams, cleanings, fillings, etc.)
• 40-50% off restorations (fillings, dental crowns, and root canals)
• 30-40% off traditional braces
• Discounts on all or most cosmetic procedures such as whitening, veneers, etc.
• 35-55% off tooth replacement dentures and bridges
• 65% off dental extractions

You also have the option to upgrade to the Aetna Vital Dental Savings Plus Rx plan for a few extra dollars a month, which includes additional benefits like:

Vision Benefits (Approximately)

• 45% off eye exams
• 12% off contact lenses
• 30% off lenses
• 40% off frames
• LASIK surgery discount

Pharmacy Savings

• Up to 60% on generic drugs
• 12% on brand-name drugs
• Price-A-Drug tool to compare costs

How Much Is Aetna dental savings plan?

The Aetna dental discount plan is one of the most affordable insurance alternatives you’ll find anywhere. Depending on your location and whether you only need solo coverage or you’re enrolling a family, the average fees are:

• $12.50 a month for individuals
• $16.24 a month for families

OR

• $149.95 a year for individuals
• $194.95 a year for families

If you want to upgrade to the Aetna Vital Dental Savings Plus Rx (for vision and drug benefits) the fees are: 

• $13.75 a month for individuals
• $16.66 a month for families

OR

• $164.95 a year for individuals
• $199.95 a year for families.

There is also a $20 one-time enrollment fee for both plans.

Savings on Common Dental Procedure

What can you actually expect when it comes to savings on your everyday dental visits?   Since dental fees vary depending on where you live, prices can easily fluctuate as well. That’s why the dentists who accept Aetna dental discount plans apply a specific discount to their services. It essentially eliminates the “middle man” of filing an insurance claim and waiting on reimbursement. When your dentist works up a treatment plan, it automatically includes the discount from your savings plan card.

 * Price without a plan is estimated pricing.

** Discounted Fees / Price With Plan Fees are listed for visits to a participating general dentist. Members will be charged the provider's Aetna Dental AccessSM contracted fees. Charges may vary from the sample fee schedule above. Consult with your provider prior to beginning any treatment. Lab fees may be additional.

Basic and Preventive Dental (Save 49% to 63%)

OK. So one of the biggest things you’ll notice about the Aetna Vital Dental Savings Plan is that you don’t get “free” or “included” exams, dental cleanings, or X-rays. But they are significantly discounted! For example, if your dentist charges $350 for a new patient exam, cleaning, and full-mouth panoramic X-ray, you’d only pay around $185 for the same visit and then about $140 for your regular 6-month checkups after that.

Restorative Dental Procedures (Save 42% to 64%) 

Do you need a dental filling or a crown? If you don’t have insurance, you should go sign up for the Aetna dental discount plan to get an average of 50% off most dental restorations! Fillings that might usually cost $190 will usually come out to under $100 with the discount. And dental crown discounts can save you hundreds of dollars (literally a savings of somewhere between $300 to $400 per crown.) And remember, the sooner you treat your cavity or cracked tooth, the more affordable it will be. Whereas the longer you wait, the greater risk there is of the condition becoming more expensive to repair.

Braces (Save 38% to 42%)

The Aetna Vital Dental Savings Plan does include orthodontic treatment! Braces patients can save up to $2,300 give or take on their orthodontic therapy. Parents can use the savings plan on themselves or their kids as there’s no limit on how many people in your family are covered. But if you want to get Invisalign, the discount plan can only be applied to a portion of the service, so you’ll have to cover any difference between the cost of Invisalign and that of traditional braces.

Cosmetic (Save 26% to 86%)

You can’t use dental insurance to cover cosmetic treatments because they’re elective (not medically necessary.) But you CAN use the Aetna dental discount plan! Whether you’re planning to whiten your teeth or get cosmetic veneers, your dentist will apply a discount to the cost of the procedure. Anyone hoping to save on a smile makeover should consider signing up for a discount dental plan because it automatically discounts their aesthetic procedures.

Dentures and Bridges (Save 34% to 57%)

If you have missing teeth, investing in a bridge, partial denture, or full dentures has the lowest price point for tooth replacement. A full upper denture without insurance usually costs almost $1,400 if you’re paying for it out of pocket without insurance. But if you apply the Aetna discount, it’s usually under $1,000 total. Partial dentures tend to cost less, depending on how many teeth there are. Whereas bridges may cost more than dentures because they are crafted similar to dental crowns.

Oral Surgery (Tooth Extraction) (Save 65 to 69%)

These are going to be your basic tooth removals like simple extractions or an emergency extraction, but they can also include wisdom tooth surgery in some cases. On average, the typical cost for a tooh extraction is a little over $200, but with the Aetna dental discount plan, you’re only paying about $95 on average.

Is Aetna Vital Savings a Good Plan?

Absolutely. With a reputable company like Aetna, you know you’re going to get amazing customer service and have a discount that’s accepted by thousands of dental practices throughout the nation (whereas a lesser-known discount plan might not.) Even if you only use it for one dental checkup appointment, it practically pays for itself!

Related: Best Dental Discount Plans

Aetna Vital Dental Savings Plan Plus Rx

If you don’t have good drug coverage under your medical insurance or you’re between medical policies and need a discount for your medications, then it’s worth it to upgrade to the Aetna Vital Dental Savings Plus Rx program for a few extra dollars every month. When you do, you get additional discounts on most generic and brand-name medications and even major pharmacy chains participate, including CVS and Rite Aid.

Aetna Dental Savings Plan vs. Competitors 

How do the $149.95 individual and $194.95 family annual Aetna Vital plan match up to some of the other popular competitors available?