Short answer: A dental savings plan is a yearly membership you pay to a dental office instead of an insurance company. At Opulent Dental, the VIP Membership Dental Savings Plan costs $36 a month for one person plus a $49 down payment. It includes exams, X-rays, two cleanings, fluoride and oral cancer screenings at no extra charge, and takes 10% to 20% off other treatment. There are no deductibles, no yearly maximum and no waiting periods. Dental insurance usually pays a bigger share of major work such as crowns, but only after waiting periods and up to a yearly limit. If you mostly need checkups and cleanings, or you have no insurance, a savings plan often costs less.
What Is a Dental Savings Plan?
A dental savings plan, sometimes called an in-office membership plan, is a discount plan, not insurance. You pay a monthly fee directly to the practice. In return, your preventive care is included and other treatment is discounted. There is no insurance company in the middle, so there are no claim forms, no pre-authorization and no health questions. The trade-off is that the plan only works at the practice that offers it. Our VIP plan is honored only at Opulent Dental.
How Does a Savings Plan Compare With Dental Insurance?
| Feature | VIP Dental Savings Plan | Typical dental insurance |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost for one adult | $36 a month plus a $49 down payment | Often about $25 to $60 a month if you buy it yourself |
| Deductible | None | Often $50 to $100 a year |
| Yearly maximum | None | Often $1,000 to $2,000 a year |
| Waiting periods | None, you can use it right away | Often 6 to 12 months for fillings and major work |
| Checkups and cleanings | Included at no extra charge | Usually covered at or near 100% |
| Fillings and extractions | 20% off | Often about 80% covered after the deductible |
| Crowns, bridges, dentures, implants | 15% off | Often about 50% covered, up to the yearly maximum |
| Where you can use it | Opulent Dental only | Any in-network dentist |
What Does the VIP Plan Cost?
| Plan | Monthly cost | Down payment |
|---|---|---|
| Single | $36 | $49 |
| Dual (parent and child, or spouses) | $69 | $49 |
| Family of 3 | $103 | $49 |
| Family of 4 | $136 | $49 |
| Each additional family member | $32 | $49 |
For one person, $36 a month works out to $432 a year, plus the $49 down payment when you join. Prices are taken from our current VIP Membership brochure, so please confirm them with our front desk before you sign up.
What Does the VIP Plan Include?
These services are included at no extra charge for members:
- A comprehensive exam at your first visit, then one routine exam a year (two a year for children under 18)
- One emergency exam a year for a specific problem
- Four bitewing X-rays a year, plus single X-rays of individual teeth when needed
- A full set of X-rays or a panoramic X-ray once every five years
- Two regular teeth cleaning visits a year for adults and children
- Fluoride twice a year, with no age limit
- Oral cancer screenings twice a year
Other treatment is discounted: 20% off fillings, extractions, deep cleaning, sealants and extra cleanings; 15% off crowns, bridges, dentures, partials and implants; and 10% off Invisalign.
Which Saves More: a Savings Plan or Insurance?
It depends on what care you expect to need. Two examples, using made-up fees to keep the math simple:
Checkups only. An adult who needs two cleanings, exams and X-rays this year pays $481 in the first year on the VIP plan, with nothing extra at those visits. The same person on an individual insurance plan pays the monthly premium, and may still owe a share if their plan does not cover preventive care at 100%. For people who mainly need prevention, the plan is usually the simpler and cheaper choice.
A crown. Say a crown costs $1,200. A VIP member pays $1,020 after the 15% discount, and can have it done right away. With a typical insurance plan that pays 50% after a $50 deductible, you would pay about $625, but only once any waiting period has passed and only if you have not already used your yearly maximum. Our guide to dental crowns explains what affects that price.
How Do I Decide Between the Two?
Three questions usually settle it:
- What care do you expect this year? If it is mainly checkups and cleanings, or a filling or two, a savings plan is usually cheaper. If you already know you need several crowns or a bridge, compare both carefully.
- Who pays the premium? Insurance paid largely by an employer is hard to beat. Insurance you buy yourself often costs as much as a savings plan, with more limits.
- How soon do you need treatment? A savings plan works from the first day, while new insurance plans often make you wait months for anything beyond cleanings.
Who Is a Dental Savings Plan Best For?
- People with no dental insurance, including the self-employed and those between jobs
- Students who have aged off a parent's plan
- Retirees, since Original Medicare does not cover most routine dental care
- Anyone who needs treatment now and cannot wait out an insurance waiting period
- People who have already used up their insurance yearly maximum on other care
When Is Dental Insurance the Better Choice?
Insurance often makes more sense when your employer pays most of the premium, when you expect several crowns or other major work after any waiting period, or when your plan includes orthodontic benefits for a child. If you already have insurance, it is usually worth keeping. The VIP plan is designed for people without coverage, and it cannot be combined with insurance.
What Are the Rules and Limits?
Like any membership, the VIP plan has a few conditions. It cannot be used together with dental insurance, other dental plans or promotional offers. It does not cover care you are referred elsewhere for, hospital charges, or injuries covered by auto medical or workers' compensation. Fees are paid at the time of each visit, family members on one plan must live in the same household, and premiums are not refunded if you decide not to use the plan.
How Do I Join the VIP Plan?
If you are looking for a dentist in Christiansburg and do not have insurance, call (540) 382-4441 or ask at your next visit. You can join and use your benefits the same day, so a member who cracks a tooth can use the included emergency exam for emergency dental care right away. Patients come from across the New River Valley, including those looking for a dentist in Radford. We are at 115 Akers Farm Rd NE Ste 3, Christiansburg, VA 24073.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a dental savings plan the same as dental insurance?
No. A savings plan is a discount membership with one practice. You pay the office a monthly fee for included preventive care and discounts on treatment, with no deductibles, yearly maximums or claim forms.
Can I use the VIP plan right away?
Yes. There are no waiting periods, so you can use your included exams, X-rays and cleanings and your treatment discounts as soon as you join.
Can I use the VIP plan with my dental insurance?
No. The plan is for patients without dental insurance and cannot be combined with insurance, other dental plans or promotional offers.
Does the VIP plan cover pre-existing conditions?
Yes. There are no health questions and no limits for pre-existing conditions, and no one is turned down for the plan.
Is a dental savings plan worth it for one person?
For many people it is. At $36 a month, the plan covers two cleanings, exams and X-rays a year, and adds discounts on treatment. If you only need care once every few years, paying per visit may cost less.
Medically Reviewed By
Dr. George is a general dentist at Opulent Dental with a special interest in dental implants and restorative dentistry. He earned his Doctor of Dental Medicine from the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) and is licensed to practice in Virginia.