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Compare Dental Plans vs. Guardian Direct Dental Insurance

What’s the difference between :DentalPlans and Guardian Direct® Dental Insurance? See how our editors compare the two companies below.
Last Updated: April 08, 2024
:DentalPlans
4.7 / 5 - Excellent
#2 in Dental Insurance
Guardian Direct
4.9 / 5 - Excellent
no_rank
vs

Key Facts

  • Connect with over 100,000 dentists nationwide
  • 30+ Dental Savings Plans to Choose from
  • No annual limits for dental savings plans
  • 30 day Refund Policy
  • Detailed dental saving reports for each procedure
  • 10-60% off Dental Procedures including (cleanings, X-rays, dentures, root canals, fillings and even braces!)        
  • New users get 10% off ANY plan and 2-Month FREE! Use promo code: ADVOCATE
  • No waiting periods on basic care in 37 states; access fillings, simple extractions, cleanings as soon as coverage starts
  • Save up to 35% with over 135,000 in-network dentists at more than 410,000 locations nationwide
  • Comprehensive Dental Insurance Plans (PPO and DHMO available)
  • Coverage for regular exams, cleanings, x-rays, root canals, crowns, implants and braces 
  • Online quote, provider lookup, purchase and service tools make it easy
  • Backed by one of the insurance industry’s most stable companies (rated A++ by AM Best)

ConsumersAdvocate.org Ratings

4.7 / 5 - Average
4.8/5
Dental Coverage
4.7/5
Benefit Limits
4.7/5
Availability
4.7/5
Pricing
4.9 / 5 - Average
5.0/5
Dental Coverage
5.0/5
Benefit Limits
4.8/5
Availability
5.0/5
Pricing

Customer Reviews

 (11)
2.0 / 10 - Terrible
9%
5 stars
0%
4 stars
0%
3 stars
0%
2 stars
91%
1 stars
 (157)
2.0 / 10 - Terrible
2%
5 stars
0%
4 stars
1%
3 stars
5%
2 stars
92%
1 stars

Final Verdict

Guardian Direct® Dental Insurance has a higher overall rating than :DentalPlans. Guardian Direct scores better than Dental Plans across: Dental Coverage, Benefit Limits, Plan Options, and Pricing. However, Dental Plans scores better on In-Network Dentists. Both companies score similarly on Waiting Period, and Availability.


Customer Comments & Reviews

M
Mai
9/7/2022
Guardian Direct® Dental Insurance review
My Guardian Dental employer PPO plan is outstanding however, Guardian Dental’s customer service department is tragically unknowledgeable, unprofessional, and most of the call center representatives speak very poor English and are difficulties understand. Every time I call I either get misinformation, nasty and unprofessional attitudes, bad connections, or a representative whose English is so bad that I can barely understand anything they say. “Prepare yourself for horrible experiences with this providers.”


qledford
10/23/2021
Guardian Direct® Dental Insurance review
Individual dental plans ALL fall short of expectations. These cannot in any way be compared to employer sponsored group dental plans. Why? Simply because the 'principal of adverse selection' applies. In other words, those usually buying individual dental insurance plans need more than simply preventative dental services. Guardian does meet its contractual obligations. The issue though, is customer understanding. If one's provider is not 'in' network, as is typical of every individual dental plan, one will be paying additional 'out of pocket' costs. As a professional in the field, I personally do not recommend individual dental plans. Even with the best of them, unless perhaps after one has had them for at least a couple of years, I've yet to see any which provide adequate protection to justify their costs.


Nicole D
9/16/2017
Guardian Direct® Dental Insurance review
This coverage is terrible. The communication is awful, customer service can't speak English and therefore has trouble communicating information. They said they'd cover 80% for out of network fillings, then they tell me it's 80% of the rate THEY decide, not what the dentist charges. They didn't even cover the full cost of my cleaning. If you have another option, choose it. also, it won't let me rate anything below very good, what a scam!


A
Alex R
8/22/2017
:DentalPlans review
I used the Careington Care 500 plan from DentalPlans.com recently and it worked perfectly. The woman at the front desk recognized my plan immediately and she had my current fee schedule as well. I paid less than with insurance and couldn't be happier. Recommend.


R
regina
8/11/2017
Guardian Direct® Dental Insurance review
great network of doctors and processing of claims