About the Company

Founded in 1954
The nation’s leading provider of dental insurance
Delta Dental Plans Association is a network of 39 independent Delta Dental member companies
74 million subscribers
Member companies provide coverage to 68 million people, enrolled in over 120,000 groups

We are a Delta Dental Dentist that serves Arlington, Belmont, Cambridge, Lexington, Medford, Somerville, Waltham, Watertown, Winchester and Woburn.

Delta Dental is one of the largest dental insurance providers in Massachusetts. Delta Dental also has dental insurance plans in many other states including Rhode Island and all over the New England states. If Delta Dental is so large then why do patients have a hard time finding a Delta Dental Dentist that is in their network? Probably because there are a few kinds of Delta Dental insurance plans and they are usually not explained well. This page should help you determine what kind of Delta dental insurance you have and if we are in your dental network.

Kinds of Delta Dental Insurance

There are two basic types of Delta Dental insurance that your employer may offer PPO and HMO. Where many patients get confused is the different plans that fall under these two types. In general there are three major Delta Dental plans that we have worked with over the years:

Delta Dental Premier PPO

Delta Dental Premier PPO is, as its name implies, Delta Dental's higher level plan. It is a PPO plan which means you can see just about any dentist you like. However, in order to get your full benefits (discounted insurance prices, full coverage on treatment, etc.) you need to see a Delta Dental Premier Dentist (in-network). Typically this plan requires you to pay more per month or out of your pay check. However, the good news is Delta Dentists on this plan are able to provide you with better benefits such as night guards for patient who grind their teeth at night, dental sealants, orthodontics or invisalign, and dental implants. Premier plans rarely cover all expenses in full but they generally have better benefits for our patients.

Delta Dental Preferred Option or DPO (PPO)

This is where the Delta Dental plans get a bit confusing. The more common Delta Dental Preferred Option or Delta Dental DPO is also a PPO plan. Similar to the Delta Premier plan mentioned above the DPO plan allows you to see almost any dentist you choose. However, there is a big difference between the Premier PPO plan and the Delta Preferred Option (DPO) plan: dental costs. The Delta DPO plan gets you significant savings on more common procedures like replacing metal fillings with tooth colored fillings, cleanings, exams, xrays, crowns, bridges, etc. The trade off is DPO plans usually don't cover the more expensive procedures like dental implants, invisalign, etc. However, some do so be sure to ask us to get your insurance coverage breakdown.

Not all Delta Dentists are Delta DPO Providers

Many patients are misled to think that all Delta Dental Dentists are DPO and Premier providers. This is NOT true. If you have a DPO plan and visit a Premier provider you will not get the discount prices and your out of pocket costs will be much higher. We'd be happy to take care of this for you before you come into our office. If you have any questions about the costs or different Delta Dental Plans please give our office a call.

Delta Dental DHMO / HMO / DeltaCare Plan

Delta Dental also has a DHMO or HMO Dental plan called Delta Care (DeltaCare). This is a very low level and low cost plan that is good for emergencies and basic cleanings. It is not ideal for crowns, bridges, root canals and other major dental work. The unfortunate thing about HMO or DHMO dental plans is they have a financial incentive in place that put pressure on your dentist to avoid doing the right treatment. For example, most DHMO dental plans will pay your dentist a low flat fee ($5/month) whether or not she sees you in her office. Thus, the dentist would rather delay or avoid treatment than help you out. For this reason, our office does not participate in any HMO or DHMO dental plans like Delta Dental's DeltaCare. If you would like a free second opinion on something you feel your DHMO dentist is not treating properly, please give us a call. We'll take a look for you.