Colorado is really two dental markets: a dense Front Range corridor and mountain towns where major work often means a drive to Denver. That puts extra weight on network reach here, because the right plan discounts whichever office you end up in, not just the one nearest home.
Careington 500 Series is the best dental savings plan for most Coloradans: $12.95/mo ($129/yr plus a one-time $20 fee), one of the largest U.S. dentist networks, no waiting periods, 20–60% off covered procedures. Cheapest: Humana at $6.99/mo, strongest for seniors needing dentures or implants. Largest published network: Aetna at 262,000+ locations nationwide.
Same plans and prices nationwide. Ranking reflects value for most buyers: price, network usefulness, and savings depth.
| # | Plan | From / mo | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Careington 500 SeriesBest Overall | $12.95/mo($129/yr) | One of the largest in the U.S. |
| 2 | Humana Dental SavingsBest for Seniors | $6.99/mo | 135,000+ |
| 3 | 1DentalBest for Families | $14.58/mo($175/yr) | Careington network, one of the largest in the U.S. |
| 4 | Aetna Dental SavingsLargest Network | $7.99/mo($75/yr) | 262,000+ |
| 5 | Cigna Dental SavingsBest Transparency | $8/mo($96/yr) | ~110,000 |
Network counts above are national figures published by the carriers. None of them publish a Colorado-only dentist count, so run each plan's ZIP search before you commit.
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Prices never do, whatever state-guide pages promise. None of the five reviewed plans sells a Colorado product, fee schedule, or rate; all five bill nationally whether you live in Denver or Durango. What Colorado does change is how far you may have to drive for care. Medicare does not cover routine dental, so plenty of households here pay cash, and cash payers feel insurance's design flaws hardest: 6–12 month waits for major work and $1,000–$2,000 annual caps that one root canal can erase.
Families notice the household math first. 1Dental prices by size rather than per person: $175/year single, $211/year for two members, $229/year for a household of 3+, all on the Careington network with no setup fee and a 30-day guarantee. Humana bills monthly per applicant with no family tier, so covering a spouse and kids means stacking memberships. Careington stays the overall pick for its breadth and record back to 1979.
Distance adds one verification step city dwellers can skip. Mountain-town residents often drive to the Front Range for crowns, root canals, or dentures anyway, and a national membership discounts whichever office they end up in, but participation differs practice by practice and no carrier publishes counts below the national level. Run each plan's ZIP search for the town where you will actually sit in the chair before enrolling.
The catch, stated plainly once more: these plans shrink bills instead of paying them. Even a steep discount leaves real money out of pocket on big cases, and savings vary by procedure and office. For most cash-paying Coloradans, whether the office is in Denver or a mountain drive away, immediate uncapped discounts still beat waiting out an insurance clock.
We publish audited national ranges instead of invented Colorado fee schedules. Metro offices routinely price above these figures; small-town practices below them. Ask any office for the plan's member rate before you book.
| Procedure | Typical retail | Typical with a plan |
|---|---|---|
| Composite filling | $200–$400 | $95–$145 (published Careington member price) |
| Single crown | $1,300 avg ($800–$2,500 range) | $520–$1,040 after a 20–60% discount |
| Routine cleanings and exams | Varies by office | Discounted the same way under every plan listed |
Filling numbers per our filling cost breakdown and filling cost without insurance. Crown numbers per our crown cost breakdown.
Want the short version? Our free advisor matches you across all seven reviewed plans in about a minute, or read our Colorado statewide guide for more depth.
For most uninsured Coloradans, Careington 500 Series at $12.95/month ($129/year plus a one-time $20 sign-up fee) is the best dental savings plan. It pairs one of the largest U.S. networks with an operating record back to 1979. Retirees needing dentures or implants should weigh Humana at $6.99/month first, and option-hunters in Denver and Colorado Springs fit Aetna's 262,000+ locations.
Prices are identical across state lines, so treat this as a ZIP-code decision: the best plan in Colorado is the cheapest one that includes a dentist you can actually reach, Front Range or Western Slope.
Not among the plans we review. All five are national discount memberships sold at the same price in Colorado as elsewhere. Any page advertising exclusive Centennial State rates invented them.
Participation varies office by office and no carrier publishes counts for Denver, Colorado Springs, Boulder, or any other Colorado market. Search the plan's dentist directory by ZIP before enrolling, or call the office and ask whether they accept the plan by name.
No. They are discount memberships: no claims, no deductibles, no waiting periods, no annual maximums. You pay the discounted fee directly to the participating dentist at each appointment.
Yes. Every membership here is national, so it discounts participating dentists in any state with no re-enrollment. Western Slope and high-country residents who drive to Denver for major work get the same member pricing; verify the specific office accepts the plan before you book.
Yes. Once insurance reaches its annual maximum, the plan discounts additional work beyond the cap. Coordinate with the billing office before treatment so both apply correctly.