The Health Insurance Marketplace at HealthCare.gov offers dental coverage in two ways. Some health plans include dental benefits, and their single premium covers both. In some areas you can also pick a separate dental plan with its own premium, on top of the one for your health plan. There is a catch that trips people up: HealthCare.gov says you cannot buy a Marketplace dental plan unless you are buying a health plan at the same time. Dental coverage is an essential health benefit for children 18 and under, which means it must be available for a child, though you do not have to buy it. It is not an essential health benefit for adults, so health plans do not have to offer it. Separate dental plans can have waiting periods for adults. If you are buying a separate dental plan, compare its waiting period and annual maximum against the treatment you expect before the enrollment deadline.
Before you book: verify dental coverage in the health insurance marketplace
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Compare the dental details when you shop for a health plan
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Ask the insurance company how long any waiting period is
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Check the annual maximum, deductible and network
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Remember you can cancel a separate dental plan at any time
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Note the Open Enrollment dates and Special Enrollment rules
Two ways to get dental
Dental inside a health plan, or a separate dental plan
| Factor | Detail |
|---|---|
| A health plan with dental | Some Marketplace health plans include dental coverage, and you can see which ones when you compare plans. The premium covers both health and dental benefits. |
| A separate dental plan | In some cases separate dental plans are offered. You pay a separate premium in addition to the premium for your health plan. |
| The pairing rule | HealthCare.gov says you cannot buy a Marketplace dental plan unless you are buying a health plan at the same time. |
| Without dental benefits | You can pick a health plan without dental benefits and still get a separate dental plan. |
Dental plans sold outside the Marketplace follow different rules. UnitedHealthcare, for one, says its individual dental plans do not require health insurance. See its plan page.
Adults and children
How the rules differ by age
| Factor | Detail |
|---|---|
| Children 18 and under | Dental coverage is an essential health benefit. If you are getting health coverage for someone 18 or younger, dental coverage must be available for your child, either in a health plan or as a separate dental plan. |
| You do not have to buy it | HealthCare.gov says dental coverage for children must be available to you, but you do not have to buy it. |
| Adults | Dental coverage is not an essential health benefit for adults, and health plans do not have to offer adult dental coverage. |
| Other carriers | Anthem's family plans describe pediatric essential health benefits for children up to age 18, with age 20 in Kentucky and age 26 in Connecticut. Rules and plans vary by state. |
Waiting periods
The warning HealthCare.gov puts in bold
HealthCare.gov says separate dental plans can have waiting periods before they start to cover services for adults. If you enroll in a stand-alone dental plan with a waiting period, it will not cover services until the period ends, and you must pay monthly premiums during that time. Its advice is to get the details from the insurance company before you enroll. That is the single most useful check for an adult who is enrolling because a treatment is coming. A plan can look inexpensive and still pay nothing for months.
Ask the insurance company, in writing, how long the waiting period is for each service you expect to need.
Comparing and changing plans
What to compare, and what you can change
- When you compare dental plans in the Marketplace, look at each plan's costs, copayments, deductibles and covered services
- Check the waiting period for every service you expect to use in the next year
- Search the network for your dentist and your likely specialists
- If you have a separate dental plan, HealthCare.gov says you can cancel it at any time while keeping your health plan
- If your dental coverage is part of a health plan, you cannot remove the dental coverage from that plan
- You can change health plans, with or without dental, during the yearly Open Enrollment Period or if you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period
Where people get caught
Common surprises
Assuming a separate dental plan can be bought alone on the Marketplace. It cannot.
Enrolling for a planned procedure and finding a waiting period blocks it
Assuming an adult health plan includes dental. It does not have to.
Paying two premiums and forgetting that a separate dental plan has its own deductible and annual maximum
Assuming the plan you have now will be there at the next Open Enrollment
Questions people ask
Common questions
01Can I buy dental insurance on the Marketplace without a health plan?
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No. HealthCare.gov says you cannot buy a Marketplace dental plan unless you are buying a health plan at the same time. If you want dental coverage alone, look at stand-alone dental plans sold outside the Marketplace by insurers, and confirm the terms with the company. Some carriers say their individual dental plans need no health insurance.
02Does Marketplace health insurance include dental?
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Some plans do. HealthCare.gov says you can see which ones include dental coverage when you compare plans, and that if a health plan includes dental, the premium covers both. Other health plans have no dental benefits, and you can add a separate dental plan in some cases. Compare the details before you choose.
03Is children's dental coverage required?
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It must be available, though you do not have to buy it. HealthCare.gov says dental coverage is an essential health benefit for children 18 and under, so if you are getting health coverage for a child, dental coverage must be available either in a health plan or as a separate dental plan.
04Is adult dental coverage required?
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No. HealthCare.gov says dental coverage is not an essential health benefit for adults, and health plans do not have to offer adult dental coverage. If you want it, look for a health plan that includes dental or a separate dental plan, and read the terms and waiting periods.
05Do Marketplace dental plans have waiting periods?
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Separate dental plans can, for adults. HealthCare.gov warns that a stand-alone dental plan with a waiting period will not cover services until the period ends, and you must pay premiums in the meantime. Ask the insurance company how long the wait is for the services you expect to need.
06Can I cancel a separate dental plan?
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Yes. HealthCare.gov says you can cancel a separate dental plan at any time and keep your health plan, and it points to instructions on how. If your dental coverage is part of a health plan, you cannot remove it, but you can change plans during Open Enrollment or a Special Enrollment Period.
07When is Open Enrollment?
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HealthCare.gov lists the yearly Open Enrollment Period as November 1 to January 15 each year. Outside that window you can change plans only if you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. Check HealthCare.gov for the current dates, since the window can differ for state-run marketplaces.
08How do I compare Marketplace dental plans?
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HealthCare.gov says you will find each plan's costs, copayments, deductibles and covered services when you compare. Look at the annual maximum, the waiting periods and the network, too. Our guides to types of dental insurance and what dental insurance covers explain the terms you will see.
09Are Marketplace dental plans the only choice?
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No. Many people get dental coverage through an employer, and others buy stand-alone plans directly from insurers such as Guardian, UnitedHealthcare, Anthem and Humana, or use a discount plan. Guardian notes you can also shop for its plans on the federal Marketplace. Compare the terms of each, and do not assume they match.
10Can I remove dental from a Marketplace health plan that includes it?
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No. HealthCare.gov says you cannot remove dental coverage from a Marketplace health plan that includes it. You can change to a different health plan, with or without dental, during Open Enrollment or if you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. A separate dental plan can be canceled at any time.
11What premiums do I pay for Marketplace dental?
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If a health plan includes dental, HealthCare.gov says the premium covers both health and dental benefits. If you pick a separate dental plan, you pay a separate premium on top of your health plan's. Compare the total, and check the deductible, annual maximum and waiting periods of each option.
12Do children's dental benefits have to be bought with the health plan?
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No. HealthCare.gov says dental coverage for children 18 and under must be available either as part of a health plan or as a separate dental plan, and that you do not have to buy it. Compare what each option offers, and check waiting periods and limits for children.
Related glossary terms
Sources
- Dental Coverage in the Health Insurance MarketplaceHealthCare.gov (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)Accessed 2026-09-24
- What Is a Dental PPO Plan?MetLife Oral Fitness LibraryAccessed 2026-09-24
- Dental insurance cost & coverage basicsUnitedHealthcareAccessed 2026-09-24