1Dental is the best dental savings plan for families — one $16.95/month membership covers the entire household at the same price, on the Careington network (100,000+ dentists) with 20–60% off every procedure and no waiting periods. Careington family ($17.95/month) wins if you want the largest network (200,000+) and orthodontic discounts for the kids. The right pick depends on whether your family dentist is in-network.
1Dental at $16.95/month is the best dental savings plan for most families because a single membership covers every person in the household at the same flat price — no per-person upcharge. It runs on the Careington network (100,000+ dentists) with 20–60% discounts and no waiting periods. Careington ($17.95/month family) is the better choice when you want the largest dentist network (200,000+) and orthodontic discounts for kids.
Last updated: July 2026 | Family pricing verified against each plan's current enrollment data
Ranked by family price, network size, and savings percentage. All family prices verified from each plan's enrollment data. No paid placements.
| # | Plan | Family / mo | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1DentalBest Flat Family Rate | $16.95/mo | 100,000+ (Careington network) |
| 2 | CareingtonLargest Family Network | $17.95/mo | 200,000+ |
| 3 | Aetna Dental SavingsMost Dentist Locations | from $16/mo | 217,000+ |
| 4 | Humana Dental SavingsStrong on Major Work | from $18/mo | ~140,000 |
| 5 | Cigna Dental SavingsBest Fee Transparency | from $20/mo | ~110,000 |
For the full all-purpose ranking, see the best dental savings plan answer →
1Dental wins the family recommendation because of one structural advantage: a single $16.95/month membership covers everyone in the household at the same price. There is no per-person upcharge, no dependent limit to count, and no separate pricing tier to decode. For a family of four, that is dramatically cheaper than buying four individual plans.
The plan runs on the Careington Care 500 network (100,000+ dentists) with 20–60% discounts, no waiting periods, and no annual maximum. The trade-offs: there is a one-time $30 setup fee, and the base plan does not cover braces or implants — families needing specialist work should look at the $24.95/month bundle that adds the Aetna specialist network. Read the full 1Dental review.
Careington's family plan at $17.95/month is only a dollar more than 1Dental but pairs that with the largest dentist network in the category — 200,000+ participating dentists, which matters when you need a pediatric dentist, an orthodontist, and a general dentist all in-network. Careington also includes orthodontic discounts on many plans, the most common reason families choose it over 1Dental.
Like every plan here, there are no waiting periods, no deductibles, and no annual maximums. Activation takes 3 business days. Read the full Careington review.
Aetna Dental Savings runs $16–24/month for families and has the most dentist locations of any plan here — 217,000+. In dense metro areas that translates to more in-network options within a short drive, which is the practical difference when you are booking cleanings for several kids. Savings run 15–50% with no waiting periods. Read the full Aetna Dental Savings review.
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For most families, 1Dental at $16.95/month is the best dental savings plan — one flat membership covering the whole household on a large network, no waiting periods, no per-person caps. Choose Careington if you want the largest network and orthodontic discounts for the kids, and Aetna if you live in a metro area and want the most dentist locations near home.
Every plan here is dramatically cheaper than family dental insurance and pays for itself with a single family cleaning. The cheapest plan that includes all of your family's dentists is almost always the right choice.
Yes. Family plans cover the primary member, spouse, and dependents under one price. 1Dental charges the same $16.95/month regardless of household size, which is far cheaper than buying individual plans for each person.
Some do. Careington, Aetna, and Cigna include orthodontic discounts on many family plans (typically 20–25% off). 1Dental's base plan does not, but its bundle adds the Aetna specialist network for braces. Verify the fee schedule for your child's treatment.
No. Dental savings plans have no waiting periods, no annual maximums, no deductibles, and no claim forms for any family member. Activation takes about 3 business days.
Yes. Many families stack a savings plan with insurance — use insurance up to its annual cap, then the savings plan discount on additional work. Coordinate with the dentist's billing office.
Check the plan's directory by zip code first. If your dentist isn't in-network, compare the other plans — network participation is the single biggest factor in which plan saves your family the most.
We match you across 7 plans based on dentists, zip, and procedure needs. No email required to see results.