Guardian dental plans: DPPO and DHMO

Two. A dental PPO, often called a DPPO, and a dental HMO, often called a DHMO. Guardian says most of its dental policies are PPOs and that the HMO is offered in select states. Individuals can buy directly online or through the federal marketplace, and employers can offer group coverage.

With a PPO, yes. Guardian says the PPO lets you see out-of-network providers, but your out-of-pocket costs may likely be higher. With an HMO, no. Guardian says the HMO has no out-of-network coverage. Ask which type you hold before booking an office you found on your own.

Often. Guardian says its PPOs typically provide free or low-cost preventive checkups, cleanings and X-rays, and that most plans pay all or most of the charge for checkups and cleanings. Preventive visits are often covered in full or with a small copay. Your plan sets the exact terms and any limits on how often.

Guardian lists basic services such as fillings and extractions, and major services such as root canals, crowns, bridges and dentures. Orthodontics, meaning braces and aligners, is listed as its own group. Each plan has its own list of covered and excluded procedures, so read yours before treatment.

Guardian says many DHMOs have no deductibles or caps, with flat-rate copayments for most non-preventive treatment. The word many matters. It is not a promise for every plan. Ask for the schedule of copayments for the procedures you expect, since that schedule is what you actually pay.

Guardian says it has more than 130,000 providers nationwide. That is a national total and not a count for your town. Networks vary by state, market and plan type, so the useful check is the provider search under your own plan, run for the specific dentist you want to see.

Yes. Guardian says individuals and families can get a quote and buy directly online or shop for a plan on the federal marketplace. Plan availability, benefits and deductibles vary by state, and Guardian says individual plans start at a low monthly price that varies by state and plan type. Compare covered procedures and not only price.

Guardian's fine print says rates are guaranteed for one year for the plan benefits you first selected, and that policies renew annually. That means the premium can change at renewal. If you are planning a large treatment, check the renewal terms and when your benefit year starts and ends.

Guardian says a higher-level individual plan can help lower cost for complex procedures such as implants or crowns, but coverage differs by plan and each plan has its own exclusions. Do not assume implants are covered. Ask in writing, quote the procedure code, and see our page on implant coverage for the usual limits.

In your policy or certificate. Guardian's page says plan documents are the final arbiter of coverage and lists policy form numbers in its fine print. Sign in to your account, download the current documents, and keep them with your treatment records. A friendly phone answer does not replace the written terms.

Guardian says its provider search is at guardiananytime.com, and its page invites you to check whether your dentist is in its network. Networks vary by state, market and plan type, so search using your own plan and confirm with the office that it currently participates before you book treatment.

Guardian's page says preventive care visits are often covered in full or with a small copay, but the text on its dental page does not state a waiting period for any plan. Waiting periods and other limits are set by the plan you buy, so ask Guardian, in writing, before you enroll.