Original Medicare does not pay for cleanings, fillings, crowns or dentures, so most Illinois seniors need a separate dental plan. We compared five of the most popular individual dental plans for people 65 and older in Illinois: Physicians Mutual, NCD by MetLife, BestOne Dental, Ameritas and Mutual of Omaha. Below you will find what makes each one different, a side-by-side table, and a place to rate each plan and leave a comment.
Need help picking? Call a licensed Illinois agent at 312.726.6565. There is no cost to use an agent and the premium is the same as buying direct.
Dental coverage for Illinois seniors: Medicare, Illinois Medicaid and private plans
Medicare: Original Medicare (Parts A and B) does not cover routine dental care in Illinois, and Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plans do not add it. Some Illinois Medicare Advantage plans include a dental allowance, but it is often small.
Illinois Medicaid (HFS Dental Program): Illinois Medicaid adults 21 and older may be eligible for diagnostic, preventive, restorative, endodontic (root canal), periodontic and prosthodontic (denture) services, with limits such as one periodic exam every 12 months. The ADA Health Policy Institute rates Illinois's adult benefit as enhanced. If you qualify for both Medicare and Illinois Medicaid, check those dental benefits first. A private plan mainly helps seniors who do not qualify, or who want a wider choice of dentists. Source
Who regulates these plans: Individual dental insurance sold in Illinois is overseen by the Illinois Department of Insurance, where you can check that a company is licensed or file a complaint.
Lower-cost care in Illinois: The UIC College of Dentistry in Chicago says its clinics operate on a reduced fee schedule (except faculty care), so the cost is usually lower than traditional dental offices. Source
Which senior dental plan fits you?
Illinois senior dental plans side by side
How the five plans compare on the features that matter most after 65. Benefits shown are for individual policies sold in Illinois.
 Physicians MutualDental PreferredCall for Quote |
 NCD by MetLifeElite 5000 / CompleteGet Quote |
 BestOne DentalBEST Life: Choice / EconomyGet Quote |
 AmeritasPrimeStar Care Lite / Boost / CompleteGet Quote |
 Mutual of OmahaDental Preferred / ProtectionGet Quote |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual maximum | No annual maximum | $5,000 (Elite 5000) / $10,000 (Complete) | $3,000 or $5,000 (Choice); $1,500 (Economy) | Lower in year 1, increases in year 2 | Choice of amount ($1,500 / $3,000 / $5,000) |
| Deductible | $0 | $50 a year (Elite); $100 lifetime (Complete) | $0, $25 copay per visit | Varies by tier | $50 (Preferred) / $100 (Protection) |
| Waiting periods | Preventive: none Basic (fillings, simple extractions): none Major (crowns, bridges, dentures, root canals): 12 months | None | None (Choice); 6 months intermediate (Economy) | None | None |
| Cleanings and exams | Covered from day 1 (scheduled amounts) | 100% | 100% after $25 copay | Covered from day 1 | Covered from day 1 |
| Fillings and extractions | Scheduled amounts, higher after year 1 | 80% (Elite); 65% / 80% / 90% by year (Complete) | Choice: 50% year 1, then 80% | Lower in year 1, then increases | Covered right away |
| Crowns, root canals, dentures | After waiting period, scheduled amounts | 10% year 1, then 50% to 60% | Choice: 10% year 1, then 60%; Economy: not covered | Upper tiers, lower in year 1 | Covered right away, reduced first year |
| Implants | Generally not covered | Complete $3,000 a year; Elite after 24 months | Choice: as alternative to a bridge | Upper tiers | Listed as covered |
| Dentist choice | Any dentist; Ameritas network saves more Find a dentist ↗ | MetLife PDP network Find a dentist ↗ | DenteMax + Connection Dental Find a dentist ↗ | Ameritas PPO Find a dentist ↗ | Mutual of Omaha / TruAssure Find a dentist ↗ |
| Issue ages | Adults | Adults (association membership) | 18 to 99 | Adults | 60 to 99 |
| Monthly cost | Quoted by age and ZIP | Quoted by ZIP | Quoted by age and ZIP | Quoted by ZIP (not age) | Quoted by age and ZIP |
| Get a quote | Call for Quote | Get Quote | Get Quote | Get Quote | Get Quote |
Shading:stronger featurelimitation to note. Swipe the table sideways on a phone.
Plan by plan: what sets each Illinois senior dental plan apart
Rate each plan below on cost, value, customer service and network size. Comments are optional, and your name and ZIP code are only shown if you add them.
Physicians Mutual Dental PreferredNo annual maximum
Simple fixed-dollar plan: no deductible, no yearly cap, any dentist.
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Best for: Seniors who want simple, predictable coverage and no annual cap, and who can wait a year for major work.
See all 400+ covered procedures
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NCD by MetLife Elite 5000 / CompleteUp to $10,000 max
The highest annual maximums here, on MetLife's large PPO network.
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Best for: Seniors expecting large or ongoing work (several crowns, implants, full-mouth work) over two or more years.
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BestOne Dental BEST Life: Choice / Economy$0 deductible
No deductible and no waiting periods on the Choice plans, issued to age 99.
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Best for: Value shoppers who want a $3,000 to $5,000 maximum without paying NCD prices.
See our full BestOne Dental Illinois page and rates
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Ameritas PrimeStar Care Lite / Boost / CompleteNo waiting periods
Three tiers on a large PPO network, priced by ZIP code rather than age.
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Best for: Older seniors whose age would raise the premium elsewhere, and anyone who wants a big PPO network.
See our full Ameritas Illinois page and rates
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Mutual of Omaha Dental Preferred / ProtectionCoverage starts day 1
No waiting periods on any service, from a well-known senior-market carrier.
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Best for: Seniors who need a crown, root canal or denture soon and do not want to wait out a waiting period.
See our full Mutual of Omaha Illinois page and rates
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How to choose a dental plan after 65 in Illinois
- Look at year 1, not just the headline. “No waiting period” plans often pay only 10% of a crown or root canal in the first year. If you need major work right away, Mutual of Omaha pays more up front.
- Match the annual maximum to your mouth. A $1,000 to $1,500 cap is used up by one crown. If you expect several crowns, a bridge or implants, look at NCD Complete, BestOne Choice $5,000 or Physicians Mutual.
- Check implant rules. Implant coverage varies the most between these plans, from none to $3,000 a year.
- Check your dentist. Staying in network avoids balance billing. Physicians Mutual is the only plan here that pays the same at any dentist.
- Compare against your Medicare Advantage dental. If your Illinois Medicare Advantage plan includes dental, compare its allowance to a standalone plan; many 2027 Medicare Advantage plans have smaller dental benefits than before.
Illinois senior dental insurance FAQs
Does Medicare cover dental care?
Original Medicare (Parts A and B) does not cover routine dental care such as cleanings, fillings, crowns or dentures. Some Medicare Advantage plans include limited dental benefits, but many have small allowances, and several plans have trimmed dental benefits for 2027. A standalone dental plan fills that gap and works alongside Original Medicare, a Medicare Supplement or a Medicare Advantage plan.
Does Illinois Medicaid cover dental care for adults in Illinois?
Illinois Medicaid adults 21 and older may be eligible for diagnostic, preventive, restorative, endodontic (root canal), periodontic and prosthodontic (denture) services, with limits such as one periodic exam every 12 months. The ADA Health Policy Institute rates Illinois's adult benefit as enhanced. Illinois seniors who have Medicare but do not qualify for Illinois Medicaid need a separate dental plan for routine care.
Which senior dental plan has no waiting period?
Mutual of Omaha, NCD by MetLife, BestOne Choice and Ameritas PrimeStar have no waiting periods on preventive, basic or major services. Most of them pay a smaller share for major work in the first year, so check the year 1 benefit before scheduling a crown or root canal.
Which plan is best for dental implants?
NCD Complete pays up to $3,000 a year toward implants with no waiting period, and NCD Elite 5000 covers implants after 24 months. BestOne Choice covers an implant as an alternative to a bridge. Mutual of Omaha lists implants as covered. Physicians Mutual generally does not cover implants.
Can I keep my own dentist?
Physicians Mutual lets you see any dentist and pays from a fixed schedule, and dentists in its Ameritas network charge lower negotiated fees. The others use PPO networks (MetLife, Ameritas, DenteMax and Connection Dental, TruAssure); you can usually still see an out-of-network dentist, but you may pay more because of balance billing. We can check your dentist before you enroll.
How much does senior dental insurance cost in Illinois?
Premiums depend on your Illinois ZIP code, your age (except Ameritas, which prices by ZIP), and the annual maximum you choose. Run a free quote below to see exact monthly rates for your area.
Get senior dental quotes for your Illinois ZIP code
Compare these plans side by side with real Illinois rates, or talk it through with a licensed agent.
Related dental pages
This page is a general summary for comparison and does not replace the policy documents. Benefits, rates, issue ages and availability vary by state, age and plan version and can change; some plans may not be available in every Illinois ZIP code. Benefit details last reviewed November 2026. Ratings and comments are submitted by visitors and are not endorsements.