Dentalvision

Enrollment links on this page are coded to Matthew Semons 208-238-1171

It costs you nothingPremiums are filed with the state, so you pay exactly the same whether you enroll with an agent or entirely on your own. Our compensation comes from the carrier, never from you.

We help you enrollNot sure which box to tick or what date to pick? Call and we'll go through the application with you, line by line, so nothing gets missed or costs you a waiting period.

And we're here afterwardClaim denied? ID card never showed up? Want to change plans next year, or just have a question in 2028? Call us. Still no charge, for as long as you have the policy.

Dental insurance, without the runaround.

Three dental carriers, about twenty plans, plus vision. This page tells you what they actually cost at your age, what they actually cover, and which one fits — then lets you enroll in a few minutes.

Start here — rates are set by age

I'm years old.
No open enrollmentDental and vision aren't like health insurance. Enroll any month of the year.
Agent costs you nothingPremiums are identical whether you use an agent or go direct.
Coverage can start fastTomorrow with Ameritas, or the 1st of next month with Blue Cross and Delta.

Step one

Answer four questions. Get a real recommendation.

The same questions I'd ask you on the phone. They narrow twenty-odd plans down to one or two that make sense — and tell you why, not just what.

Plan finder

Nothing is submitted. No email required.

Question 1 of 4

What do you need coverage for right now?

Be honest here — it's the single biggest factor in which plan is right.

Have you had dental insurance in the last 60 days?

This one is worth real money. Prior coverage can erase waiting periods entirely.

Does anyone on the plan need braces?

Orthodontia is the one benefit that's genuinely hard to find on individual plans.

How attached are you to your current dentist?

Networks differ a lot. Going out of network can cost you hundreds.

Real numbers

Every dental plan, priced for your age.

Actual 2026 monthly premiums published by each carrier — not estimates. Change your age and the whole table updates. Add family members for a household total.

New to this? Three things to know before you look at prices.

  1. Cleanings and exams are covered on every plan below, almost always at 100% and from the day coverage starts. That part is never the problem.
  2. Crowns and root canals usually mean a 12-month wait. The plans marked “None” in the wait column skip it — and if you had dental coverage in the last month or two, most carriers will erase the wait entirely.
  3. The annual maximum is a cap on the insurance company, not on you. Once they’ve paid that much in a year, the rest of the bill is yours.
Read the full explainer →
Planand what it covers Monthlyone person, your age Householdeveryone added up Annual maximummost the plan pays per year Wait for crownsbefore major work is covered  

How family pricing works

Blue Cross Healthy Smiles, Dental Blue Connect and Delta Dental all price per person — the household figure is everyone's individual rate added together. On the ACA-qualified Blue Cross plans you pay for a maximum of three children under 21; a fourth and fifth are free. Ameritas prices by ZIP code rather than age, so its exact rate comes from the carrier's quote tool.

The part nobody explains

How dental insurance actually works.

Dental insurance isn't really insurance the way health insurance is. Health insurance protects you from catastrophe. Dental insurance is closer to a discount program with a spending cap. Once that sentence lands, every other decision here gets easier.

Every procedure falls into one of three buckets

Carriers use different plan names, but they all sort dental work the same way. The bucket a procedure lands in determines what share you pay and how long you wait.

BUCKET 1 — PREVENTIVE

Keeping problems away

Usually 100% covered, no wait
  • Routine cleanings
  • Exams and check-ups
  • Bitewing and routine X-rays
  • Fluoride and sealants (kids)
BUCKET 2 — BASIC

Fixing small problems

You pay ~20–50% · often a 6-month wait
  • Fillings
  • Simple extractions
  • Periodontal maintenance
  • Scaling and root planing
BUCKET 3 — MAJOR

Rebuilding a tooth

You pay ~50% · often a 12-month wait
  • Crowns and bridges
  • Root canals
  • Dentures
  • Implants and oral surgery

The most common surprise

People assume a cracked tooth is an emergency the plan handles immediately. On most plans a crown sits in Bucket 3 — a 12-month waiting period before the plan pays anything toward it. If you already know you need major work, the waiting period matters more than the premium. Two ways around it: buy a plan with no waiting period (Ameritas, Delta's Clear Plan, or a Blue Cross copay plan), or use prior coverage to get the wait waived.

Five numbers decide what a plan really costs you

NUMBER 1

Premium

What you pay monthly whether you visit the dentist or not. The only number most people compare, and the least useful on its own.

NUMBER 2

Deductible

What you pay before the plan shares costs. Typically $50–$90 per person per year, and usually not applied to cleanings.

NUMBER 3

Coinsurance or copay

Your share afterward. Coinsurance is a percentage (50% of a crown). A copay is a flat dollar amount ($500 for a crown, full stop).

NUMBER 4

Annual maximum

The most the plan pays in a year, usually $1,000–$2,500. A cap on them, not on you. Anything past it is yours.

NUMBER 5

Waiting period

How long you hold the plan before certain work is covered. Commonly 6 months basic, 12 months major. The number that trips people up.

What a crown actually costs on three different plans

A $1,400 crown, in network, on a plan held over a year. Illustration only — your dentist's fee and your plan's allowed amount will differ.

Coinsurance plan · 50% major
Dentist's charge$1,400
Deductible you pay$50
Plan pays 50% of $1,350−$675
Your coinsurance$675
You pay$725
Copay plan · flat fee
Dentist's charge$1,400
Deductible you pay$50
Set crown copay$500
Percentage owed$0
You pay$550
No coverage
Dentist's charge$1,400
Network discount$0
Plan pays$0
Your cost$1,400
You pay$1,400

A copay plan is often cheaper on a single big procedure, and it's predictable — you can know the number before you sit down. And even before the plan pays anything, being in network reduces the bill, because network dentists agree to discounted rates.

The waiting-period rule that saves people the most money

If you're coming off other dental coverage, say so during enrollment. Carriers will often credit that time and waive your waiting periods — the difference between paying 50% for a crown next month and paying 100% for it for a year.

CarrierWhat waives the waiting periodWhat you need to provide
Delta Dental At least 12 consecutive months of prior dental coverage with no gap longer than 30 days. Prior carrier name and dates of coverage during enrollment.
Ameritas At least 12 continuous months of prior fully-insured active dental coverage, gap no more than 60 days. Ameritas calls this Credit for Prior Coverage. Previous policy number and carrier name, entered during enrollment.
Blue Cross Ask before you apply — handled case by case. The copay plans have no waiting periods to begin with, and under-19 ACA plans have none either. Call your agent and confirm before you submit anything.

In network vs. out of network

A network dentist has signed a contract agreeing to charge less than their usual fee — often 25–50% less. That discount applies before your plan pays anything, so it lowers both your share and how fast you burn through the annual maximum. Out of network, the dentist bills their full fee, the plan pays a smaller percentage of a smaller allowed amount, and you cover the gap. Look up your dentist before you enroll — every carrier below has a provider search. Ninety seconds now prevents the most common regret.

Side by side

Which carrier, and why.

Each is genuinely the right answer for somebody, and the wrong one for somebody else. Here's the honest version.

  Blue Cross of Idaho Delta Dental of Idaho Ameritas
Network size in Idaho Most Idaho dentists participate Largest — roughly 9 of 10 dentists nationwide Smaller network, deeper discounts where it applies
Waiting periods 6 months basic / 12 months major — except copay plans and under-19 ACA plans, which have none 6 / 12 months — waived with 12 months of prior coverage. The Clear Plan has none at all None. Benefits are lower in year one, then step up
When coverage starts 1st of the following month 1st of the following month As soon as the next day
How it's priced By age bandBy age bandBy ZIP code, not age
Braces Medically necessary orthodontia on ACA plans, under-19 only, prior authorization GrinWell Prime covers adult and child braces — $1,000 lifetime max Care Boost covers child braces under 19 — $1,000 lifetime max
Implants Covered on several plans; copay plan sets a flat $1,250 implant copay 50% on Prime and Plus, or a flat $1,250 on the Clear Plan Covered on Care Boost and Care Complete with its own sub-limit
Highest annual maximum $2,500 (Healthy Smiles Elite) $2,000 (GrinWell Prime) $3,500 after year one (Care Complete)
Unusual extras True copay plans where every procedure has a fixed price Health through Oral Wellness — extra benefits if a risk assessment says you need them Hearing aid coverage on Care Complete; whitening on Care Boost
Best if… You want a familiar Idaho name, broad dentist access, and a tier for every budget Keeping your dentist matters most, you're coming off other coverage, or you need braces You need coverage immediately, you're on Medicare, or you want hearing included

Enroll in dental

Pick a carrier and apply online.

Every enrollment link is coded to the agent selected at the top of this page, so you have someone to call about claims and ID cards later — at no additional cost. Look up your dentist first.

Nine plans, from bare-bones preventive to a $2,500 maximum

Trusted Idaho name · Broad network · Coverage starts the 1st of next month

Blue Cross gives you the widest spread of price points here. At the low end, Healthy Smiles Preventive covers cleanings and exams for under $25 a month for most adults. At the top, Healthy Smiles Elite carries a $2,500 annual maximum and improves its major-work coverage in each of the first three years you stay on it.

The ones to know about are the copay plans. Instead of paying a percentage and guessing, every procedure has a fixed price: $75 a filling, $500 a crown, $150 an extraction, $1,250 an implant. No waiting periods, and the annual maximum disappears entirely after year one.

Waiting periods6 months basic, 12 months major. None on copay plans or under-19 ACA plans.
Coverage beginsThe first of the following month.
Deductibles$0 to $90 per person depending on plan.
AvailabilityIdaho residents only.
Best for: people who want a recognizable Idaho carrier with a wide dentist network, and anyone who'd rather know the exact price of a crown up front than calculate a percentage.

The biggest network in the state — and the only adult braces benefit

9 of 10 dentists nationwide · Waits waived with prior coverage · Enroll any time

If keeping your dentist is the priority, start here. Delta is Idaho's largest dental carrier and its network reaches nearly every practice in the state, plus more than 152,000 dentists nationwide — useful if you travel or have a kid away at college.

GrinWell Prime is the closest thing here to employer-grade coverage: a $2,000 annual maximum, implants, and orthodontia for adults as well as children, which almost no individual plan offers. The Clear Plan takes a different approach — no waiting periods at all and set dollar amounts instead of percentages, so a filling is $90, a crown $500, a root canal $400, an implant $1,250. At the other end, GrinWell Prevent covers preventive care with no copays and no annual maximum for around $22 a month.

Waiting periods6 months basic, 12 months major — waived with 12 months of prior coverage. None on the Clear Plan.
Coverage beginsThe 1st of the following month; enroll any time through month end.
OrthodontiaGrinWell Prime — adult and child, 50%, $1,000 lifetime max, 6-month wait.
Medicare-friendlyYes. Medicare enrollment periods don't apply to dental.
Best for: anyone leaving a job with dental coverage, anyone who won't switch dentists, and families needing orthodontia.

Coverage that can start tomorrow, with no waiting periods at all

Next-day coverage · Priced by ZIP, not age · Dental, vision and hearing

Ameritas solves one problem better than anyone else: you need work done and you can't wait. There are no waiting periods on the PrimeStar plans and coverage can begin as soon as the next day. The trade-off is that benefits start lower in year one and step up after twelve months — a crown covered at 20% now might be covered at 50% a year from now.

Care Lite is the value option, with a $750 maximum doubling to $1,500 after year one. Care Boost adds child orthodontia, implants and whitening, lifting the maximum to $2,500 in year two. Care Complete is the most generous plan on this page — $3,500 after year one, 80% on basic work from day one, plus hearing aid benefits, which makes it a strong companion to Medicare. All three include Preventive Plus: cleanings don't count against the annual maximum.

Waiting periodsNone on any PrimeStar dental plan.
Coverage beginsAs soon as tomorrow, or up to three months out.
Deductible$0 preventive, $50 basic and major, per person.
Network noteSmaller network, larger discounts. Check your dentist first.
Best for: people who need coverage immediately, Medicare beneficiaries wanting dental, vision and hearing in one place, and families needing child orthodontia.

PrimeStar dental plans

  • Care Lite
    Max $750 → $1,500 in year 2
    By ZIP
  • Care Boost
    Max $1,000 → $2,500 · child braces
    By ZIP
  • Care Complete
    Max $2,000 → $3,500 · hearing
    By ZIP

Ameritas rates depend on ZIP code rather than age, so there's no table to publish — the quote tool returns your exact price in about a minute.

Resources

Enroll in vision

Dental plans don't cover glasses.

Vision is a separate policy, and VSP is the largest vision carrier in the country — the biggest network of independent eye doctors, plus retail locations. No waiting periods, and benefits start the month you enroll.

Standard

The lowest premium, and the only one with no association fee. Covers an annual exam and a new pair of glasses.

$13.93 / mo, one person
Two people$26.54
Family$36.24
  • WellVision exam — $15 copay
  • Prescription glasses — $25 copay
  • $150 frame allowance ($170 featured brands), 20% off the excess
  • $150 for contacts and the fitting exam, plus 15% off that exam
  • Available in every state — no association fee

Base

A step up for contact lens wearers — the fitting exam is covered outright instead of discounted.

$17.70 / mo, one person
Two people$33.07
Family$45.15
  • Everything in Standard
  • $150 contact lens allowance
  • Contact lens fitting exam covered in full rather than discounted

Includes an $18 annual Healthy Vision Association enrollment fee.

EasyOptions

Pick one upgrade every year. Best if you want premium lenses or a bigger frame budget.

$27.51 / mo, one person
Two people$50.88
Family$69.15
  • Everything in Standard
  • Choose one upgrade each year: premium or custom progressive lenses covered in full, light-reactive lenses covered in full, +$80 frame allowance, or +$80 contact allowance
  • Worth it if you wear progressives — they otherwise run a $0–$175 copay

Includes an $18 annual Healthy Vision Association enrollment fee.

Is vision coverage worth it for you?

Do the arithmetic. The Standard plan runs $167.16 a year for one person and returns a covered exam plus a $150 frame allowance — so if you replace your glasses every year, it pays for itself. If you wear the same frames for five years and only need an exam, paying cash is often cheaper. All three plans have a 12-month contract term. Out of network, VSP reimburses up to $45 for the exam, $70 for a frame, $65 for lenses and $105 for contacts.

What happens next

Enrolling takes about ten minutes.

Most people finish in one sitting. Here's the order I'd do it in.

Look up your dentist first

Use the provider search on the carrier's card above. If your dentist isn't in that network, stop and check a different carrier — the most common regret, and completely avoidable.

Write down the plan you picked

The carrier's site can't carry your selection over from this page, so you'll re-select it there. Note the exact plan name before you click through — the pop-up on this page shows it to you.

Gather what the application asks for

Names, dates of birth and Social Security numbers for everyone covered. Home address and email. Bank account or card for the first premium. If you've had dental coverage in the last year, bring the carrier name, policy number and dates — that's what waives your waiting periods.

Choose your effective date carefully

Ameritas can start as soon as tomorrow. Blue Cross and Delta start the 1st of the following month. If you're timing around a treatment plan or the end of other coverage, pick deliberately.

Book the cleaning, and call if anything looks wrong

Preventive care is covered from day one on nearly every plan — get in early and find out what you're working with. Claim denied, ID card never showed, premium came out twice? That's what your agent is for, at no charge.

Worth knowing

Getting the most out of whatever you buy.

Split treatment across two years

Need $3,000 of work on a $1,500 maximum? Ask your dentist to schedule half in December and half in January. You get two annual maximums instead of one.

Don't buy on premium alone

The cheapest plan is right if you only want cleanings. If you need a crown, a $22 plan that excludes major work costs you $1,400 more than a $45 plan that covers it.

Always mention prior coverage

People leave a job, buy a plan, and never mention the dental they just had. That silence can cost a year of waiting on major work that would have been waived.

Use the waiting period productively

Cleanings and X-rays are covered from day one almost everywhere. Get the exam done, find out what you're facing, and plan the major work for when coverage kicks in.

Check whether benefits grow

Several plans here raise coverage and maximums after year one, and one Blue Cross plan improves major-work coverage in each of the first three years. Staying put pays.

Don't wait for open enrollment

Individual dental and vision have no enrollment window. Buy in March, in August, or the week after you crack a molar. Medicare's enrollment periods don't apply either.

Questions

Things people ask every week.

Why do I have to re-select my plan on the carrier's website?

Each carrier runs its own enrollment system, and there's no way for this page to pass your choice into theirs. The link takes you to the right carrier with your agent already attached, but the plan selection starts fresh on their site. That's why the pop-up shows you the exact plan name before you leave — write it down or screenshot it.

Does it cost more to enroll through an agent?

No. Premiums are filed with the state and are identical whether you buy through an agent, over the phone, or on the carrier's own website. Agent compensation comes from the carrier. What you get for free is somebody who knows the plans and will pick up the phone when there's a problem.

Can I enroll any time of year?

Yes. Individual dental and vision have no open enrollment period — that's a health insurance rule that doesn't apply here. Blue Cross and Delta start you the 1st of the following month; Ameritas can start as soon as tomorrow.

I need a crown next month. What should I buy?

Most plans make you wait twelve months for major work, so this comes down to three real options: Ameritas PrimeStar (no waiting periods, but year-one coverage on major work is lower), Delta's Clear Plan (no waiting periods, flat $500 crown copay), or a Blue Cross copay plan (no waiting periods, flat $500 crown copay).

If you had dental coverage in the last 30–60 days, a fourth option opens up: a standard Delta or Ameritas plan with the waiting period waived, which usually beats all three. Call your agent and work that math out before you buy.

What's the difference between a copay plan and a regular plan?

A regular plan pays a percentage — you owe 50% of whatever the crown costs, which you can't know until the dentist quotes it. A copay plan sets a fixed dollar price for each procedure: a crown is $500 whether the dentist charges $1,200 or $1,600. Copay plans suit people who know they need work and want a predictable number. Percentage plans often work out better if you need a lot of small things.

My dentist isn't in the network. How bad is that?

Usually the difference between paying 20% and paying 50%, on top of losing the network discount that would have lowered the bill in the first place. On some plans out-of-network care isn't covered at all. Run your dentist through the provider search before enrolling — and if they're not there, ask which plans they do take. Most offices will tell you straight out.

Is orthodontia covered?

Rarely, and never generously — this is the hardest benefit to find on individual dental. Two real options: Delta's GrinWell Prime covers braces for adults and children at 50% with a $1,000 lifetime maximum after a six-month wait, and Ameritas Care Boost covers child orthodontia under 19 with a $1,000 lifetime maximum. Blue Cross covers medically necessary orthodontia on its ACA plans for under-19s with prior authorization.

What's an annual maximum, and is it a cap on me?

It's a cap on them. If your plan has a $1,500 annual maximum, that's the most the insurance company pays toward your care in a benefit year. After that, everything is your responsibility at full price. This is why splitting a big treatment plan across two benefit years is so useful.

I'm on Medicare. Can I still buy this?

Yes, and many people should. Medicare Parts A and B don't cover routine dental at all, and Medicare Advantage dental benefits vary widely and are often capped low. Medicare's enrollment periods don't apply to dental — you can buy a standalone plan in any month. Ameritas Care Complete is worth a look specifically because it adds hearing aid coverage.

Can I cover just my kids?

Yes. The Blue Cross ACA-qualified plans (Dental Choice, Choice Plus and Choice Core) are built around pediatric dental and include an out-of-pocket maximum for children — $450 per child, $900 for two or more — which the adult plans don't have. There are also no waiting periods on the under-19 ACA plans.

Do these plans cover cosmetic work like veneers or whitening?

Generally no. Cosmetic dentistry is excluded from nearly every dental plan. The exception here is Ameritas Care Boost, which includes a benefit toward professional teeth bleaching. Veneers, cosmetic bonding and elective smile work are self-pay almost everywhere.

What if I need to cancel?

Terms differ by carrier and some plans have an annual contract commitment, so ask before you enroll if you might only want coverage briefly. Ameritas offers a 30-day satisfaction guarantee on its dental and vision plans. Call your agent and they'll tell you what your specific plan allows.

Glossary — every term you'll hit on an application
Premium
Your monthly payment for the policy, due whether or not you use it.
Deductible
What you pay each year before the plan starts sharing costs. Usually waived for preventive care.
Coinsurance
Your share as a percentage. "50% coinsurance on major" means you pay half.
Copay
A fixed dollar amount for a service — $75 for a filling, regardless of the dentist's fee.
Annual maximum
The most the plan will pay in a benefit year. Costs beyond it are entirely yours.
Benefit period
The twelve-month window your maximum and deductible reset on. Often the calendar year.
Waiting period
Time you must hold the policy before a category of service is covered.
Preventive services
Cleanings, exams, X-rays, fluoride. Nearly always covered at 100% with no wait.
Basic services
Fillings, simple extractions, periodontal maintenance, scaling and root planing.
Major services
Crowns, bridges, dentures, root canals, oral surgery, implants.
In network
A dentist contracted to charge discounted rates — often 25–50% below their usual fee.
Out of network
Any other dentist. The plan pays less, on a smaller allowed amount, and you cover the gap.
DPPO
Dental Preferred Provider Organization. See any dentist, but save more in network.
Maximum allowed charge
The most a plan recognizes for a procedure. Your percentage is figured on this, not the bill.
Credit for prior coverage
Applying your previous dental policy toward a new plan's waiting periods.
Out-of-pocket maximum
A ceiling on your own spending. Rare in dental — mainly on ACA pediatric plans.
ACA-qualified dental
A plan meeting Affordable Care Act pediatric standards, with an out-of-pocket cap for children.
Prior authorization
Advance approval from the carrier before a procedure is covered.
Frequency limitation
A cap on how often a service is covered — two cleanings a year, for example.
Effective date
The day your coverage actually begins. Choose it deliberately during enrollment.
Frame allowance
A vision-plan dollar amount toward frames. Anything over it is yours, usually with 20% off.
Schedule of benefits
The contract page listing exactly what's covered, at what level, with what limits.

Your agent

Matthew Semons

Independent insurance agent in Pocatello. We represent every carrier on this page, so there's no reason to steer you toward one over another — only toward the one that fits. None of this costs you anything — not the advice, not the help enrolling, and not the call you make three years from now when a claim gets denied.

When it's worth calling instead of clicking

Most people can enroll from this page without talking to anyone, and that's the point. But call if any of these apply:

  • You have a treatment plan from your dentist and want to know which policy pays the most against it
  • You're coming off other coverage and want the waiting periods waived correctly
  • You're insuring a family and the ACA vs. per-person math isn't obvious
  • You're on Medicare and want dental, vision and hearing sorted at once
  • A claim was denied, or your dentist says you're not covered when you should be

No charge for any of it, and no charge later either.

Important. This page is a summary prepared by Real Benefit Solutions to help you compare options. It is not a contract, a certificate of insurance, or a guarantee of coverage. The policy, certificate and schedule of benefits issued by the insurance carrier control in all cases and contain the complete description of benefits, limitations, exclusions and conditions. Where this page and a carrier document disagree, the carrier document governs.

Rates shown are 2026 individual monthly premiums as published by each carrier and are subject to change. Blue Cross of Idaho and Delta Dental of Idaho dental rates are age-banded and apply to Idaho residents. Ameritas premiums are determined by ZIP code and must be quoted through the carrier's tool. VSP rates shown are the Idaho rates published in the three-plan comparison document linked above, which the carrier notes are subject to change. Plan availability, benefit levels, waiting periods and networks vary and may change.

Blue Cross of Idaho is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Delta Dental, Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. and Vision Service Plan are independent companies. All product names, logos and brands are the property of their respective owners and are used with permission for identification only.