resources, healthcare sustainability
Orthodontic Insurance vs. Dental Insurance: What’s the Difference?
Editor
07 Jan 2026
Dentists and orthodontists both play a significant role in keeping your teeth healthy and straight, but because they’re different types of doctors, you might need different insurance plans to cover both of their expenses. While some dental insurance covers orthodontics, others don’t, and they may require a separate plan. Let’s walk through the different aspects of dental and orthodontic insurance plans so that you can decide which one, or both, best suits your needs.
What is dental insurance?
Dental insurance is a policy that helps cover expenses related to going to the dentist, such as cavity treatments, crowns, teeth cleanings, and X-rays. Plans with comprehensive coverage can cover the entirety of your preventive care and may also cover varying amounts of your basic and major procedures.1 Dental insurance is typically one of the main types of insurance you might be offered at a job, sometimes with the option to choose from different types of plans that have different levels of coverage.
What is orthodontic insurance?
When you go to the dentist and they notice that some of your teeth are crooked, your teeth are crowded, or that you have an overbite or underbite, they’ll recommend that you go to an orthodontist to address these problems.2 Orthodontists help fix problems related to your jaw and the spacing of your teeth.
Orthodontic insurance can help you cover expenses when you go to the orthodontist, like getting braces, retainers, or bands.2 Sometimes, you may have the option to add orthodontic coverage to your dental plan for an added cost. Other times, this type of coverage may come with your dental plan, but some plans might also only cover a policyholder up to a certain age.
How to decide which insurance plan is right for you
Depending on who you are, you may not need both dental and orthodontic coverage. Let’s take a look at some of the factors that may influence whether or not you want dental and orthodontic insurance.
Your age
While orthodontic care can be useful for people of all ages, many people are able to identify jaw misalignments and crooked teeth when they are young, so orthodontic care may be more useful for younger adults or adults with children. Likewise, some dental plans that cover orthodontics may also only do so up to a certain age. Make sure to check how your plan covers you and what their policies might be.
Your orthodontic care needs
It’s never too late to treat your orthodontic issues. Suppose you’re an adult who never had the opportunity to treat issues related to jaw alignment or teeth crowding as a youth. In that case, you may still want to look for a dental care plan that has orthodontic coverage or add an orthodontic plan. On the other hand, if you already had orthodontic treatment when you were younger, then perhaps you don’t need to prioritize orthodontic coverage as an adult. If you’re concerned about a potential orthodontic issue arising in the future, you may want to look for a dental plan that also covers orthodontic care, so that you don’t need to get an extra policy.
Your budget
Sometimes, adding another orthodontic plan can come at a higher price. If you don’t think you need orthodontic coverage, then you may only want to get dental insurance. If you think that you might benefit from orthodontic insurance but don’t want to pay for a separate plan, you may want to explore dental insurance plans that include orthodontic care. Some of these dental plans may come at a higher cost, so you should look to balance your healthcare needs with your overall budget.
Your family
If you have kids whose teeth are still coming in or whose mouths are still aligning, orthodontic coverage can help save you money when you take them to get braces or retainers. Having a full coverage dental insurance plan might be able to cover orthodontics as well as other dental issues that might arise for kids whose teeth are still maturing.
The bottom line
Everyone is different, so their insurance coverage needs might vary. While anyone can benefit from having a dental insurance plan, orthodontic coverage may be more specific to certain people. If you have younger kids or never treated some of your orthodontic issues as a child, then you might benefit from a dental insurance plan that covers orthodontics or getting a separate orthodontics plan. If you’re not sure which plan is right for you, speak with an insurance agent to help guide you through the process.
Sources:
1 WebMD – Dental Insurance: What’s Covered, What’s Not. Updated January 21, 2024. https://www.webmd.com/health-insurance/dental-insurance-overview. Accessed September 3, 2025.
2 WebMD - What Is an Orthodontist? Updated August 4, 2025. https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/what-is-an-orthodontist. Accessed September 3, 2025.
Content within this article is provided for general informational purposes and is not provided as tax, legal, health, or financial advice for any person or for any specific situation. Employers, employees, and other individuals should contact their own advisers about their situations. For complete details, including availability and costs of Aflac insurance, please contact your local Aflac agent.
Aflac coverage is underwritten by American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus. In New York, Aflac coverage is underwritten by American Family Life Assurance Company of New York.
Aflac life plans – A68000 series: Term Life Policies: In Arkansas, Idaho, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Pennsylvania & Virginia, Policies: ICC1368200, ICC1368300, ICC1368400. In Delaware, Policies A68200, A68300 & A68400. In New York, Policies NY68200, NY68300 and NY68400. Whole Life Policies: In Arkansas, Idaho, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Pennsylvania & Virginia, Policies: ICC1368100. In Delaware, Policy A68100. In New York, Policy NYR68100. B60000 series: In Arkansas, Idaho, Oklahoma & Virginia, Policies: ICC18B60C10, ICC18B60100, ICC18B60200, ICC18B60300, & ICC18B60400. Not available in Delaware. Q60000 series/Whole: In Arkansas & Delaware, Policy Q60100M. In Idaho, Policy Q60100MID. In Oklahoma, Policy Q60100MOK. Not available in Virginia. Q60000 series/Term: In Delaware, Policies Q60200CM. In Arkansas, Idaho, Oklahoma, Policies ICC18Q60200C, ICC18Q60300C, ICC18Q60400C. Not available in Virginia.
Coverage may not be available in all states, including but not limited to DE, ID, NJ, NM, NY, VA or VT. Benefits/premium rates may vary based on state and plan levels. Optional riders may be available at an additional cost. Policies and riders may also contain a waiting period. Refer to the exact policy and rider forms for benefit details, definitions, limitations, and exclusions.
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Pallavi Singal
Editor
Pallavi Singal is the Vice President of Content at ztudium, where she leads innovative content strategies and oversees the development of high-impact editorial initiatives. With a strong background in digital media and a passion for storytelling, Pallavi plays a pivotal role in scaling the content operations for ztudium's platforms, including Businessabc, Citiesabc, and IntelligentHQ, Wisdomia.ai, MStores, and many others. Her expertise spans content creation, SEO, and digital marketing, driving engagement and growth across multiple channels. Pallavi's work is characterised by a keen insight into emerging trends in business, technologies like AI, blockchain, metaverse and others, and society, making her a trusted voice in the industry.
