What Is the Best Dental Savings Plan in Phoenix?

By The Dental Savings EditorsReviewed August 20265 min readWe earn commission when you enroll. We don't get paid to rank plans.

Careington is the best dental savings plan for most people in Phoenix. It costs $12.95/mo ($129/yr plus a one-time $20 fee), is not insurance, and has no waiting period. Search each plan by ZIP before you enroll. Check a participating office near your neighborhood in Phoenix or Scottsdale rather than trusting a national count.

Short answer

Careington 500 Series is the best dental savings plan for most people in Phoenix: $12.95/mo ($129/yr plus a one-time $20 fee), not insurance, 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.

Which Plans Rank Best in Phoenix for 2026?

Same plans and prices nationwide. Ranking reflects value for most buyers: price, network usefulness, and savings depth.

#PlanFrom / moNetwork
1Careington 500 SeriesBest Overall$12.95/mo($129/yr)One of the largest in the U.S.
2Humana Dental SavingsBest for Seniors$6.99/mo135,000+
31DentalBest for Families$14.58/mo($175/yr)Careington network, one of the largest in the U.S.
4Aetna Dental SavingsLargest Network$7.99/mo($75/yr)262,000+
5Cigna Dental SavingsBest Transparency$8/mo($96/yr)~110,000

Network counts above are national figures published by the carriers. None of them publish a Phoenix-only dentist count, so run each plan's ZIP search before you commit.

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Does Anything Actually Change in Phoenix?

Prices never do. None of the five reviewed plans sells a Phoenix product or Arizona-only rate. All five bill nationally. What Phoenix does change is which neighborhood you should search. Careington and Aetna both aim at a short drive from your neighborhood in Phoenix or Scottsdale. No carrier publishes a Phoenix-only dentist count, so the ZIP search is the proof.

Careington stays the overall pick for most people: $12.95/mo ($129/yr plus a one-time $20 fee), one of the largest U.S. networks, no waiting period. Humana at $6.99/mo still leads for seniors who need dentures or implants. Aetna lists 262,000+ locations if you want the largest published network count.

The membership is national, so it prices care wherever a participating dentist sits. Participation still differs office by office. Search your ZIP in each plan directory before enrolling, then search again around Phoenix or Scottsdale if that is where you would actually sit in the chair.

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 Phoenix residents, immediate uncapped discounts still beat waiting out an insurance clock. Read the Careington review for the full fee schedule and trade-offs.

How Much Do Fillings and Crowns Cost With a Plan in Phoenix?

We publish audited national ranges instead of invented Phoenix fee schedules. Ask any office for the plan member rate before you book.

ProcedureTypical retailTypical 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 examsVaries by officeDiscounted 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.

How Do You Pick Your Plan in Phoenix?

  1. Search your ZIP code first. Every plan runs a dentist directory on its enrollment site. Check your Phoenix ZIP, then Scottsdale if that is the office you would actually use. The plan whose directory includes that office wins the tie.
  2. Name your procedures. Dentures or implants lean toward Humana. Routine care only? Any of the five works, so price decides.
  3. Total year-one cost, fees included. Careington adds a one-time $20 sign-up fee to $129/year. Aetna runs $75/year, Cigna $96/year, Humana bills monthly per person, and 1Dental covers a household of 3+ for $229/year.
  4. Activate and verify the rate. Most plans activate in about 3 business days. Call the office, give them the plan name, and confirm they will honor the member fee schedule for your procedure code.

Want the short version? Our free advisor matches you across all seven reviewed plans in about a minute, or read our Phoenix metro guide for more depth. Full Careington pricing lives on the Careington review.

So Which Plan Should You Get in Phoenix?

For most uninsured Phoenix residents, Careington 500 Series at $12.95/month ($129/year plus a one-time $20 sign-up fee) is the best dental savings plan. It is not insurance, has no waiting period, and 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 fit Aetna's 262,000+ locations.

Prices are identical across city lines, so treat this as a ZIP-code decision: the best plan in Phoenix is the cheapest one that includes a dentist near your neighborhood in Phoenix or Scottsdale.

What Do People Ask About Dental Savings Plans in Phoenix?

What is the best dental savings plan in Phoenix?

Careington 500 Series is the best dental savings plan for most people in Phoenix. It costs $12.95/month ($129/year plus a one-time $20 sign-up fee), is not insurance, and has no waiting period. It runs one of the largest dentist networks in the U.S. and activates in about 3 business days. Humana Dental Savings is cheapest at $6.99/month and is aimed at seniors needing dentures, implants, or other major work.

Do these plans cost different amounts in Phoenix?

No. All five plans we review are national memberships priced identically in Phoenix and every other city. There is no Phoenix-only version of any plan. What changes by address is which dentists participate near you, which each carrier lets you check by ZIP before paying.

Which plan fits a retiree on a fixed income in Phoenix?

Humana Dental Savings leads that list: $6.99/month per applicant, 135,000+ dentists nationally, and published strengths in dentures, implants, and major restorative work, with no waiting period to delay care. A couple pays twice since Humana has no family tier. Careington at $12.95/month remains the broad-network alternative, also without waiting periods.

Do dental savings plans have waiting periods in Phoenix?

No. These are discount memberships rather than insurance, so there is no waiting period anywhere and most activate in about 3 business days. Traditional dental insurance typically makes new members wait 6-12 months before covering crowns or dentures, then caps payouts at a $1,000-$2,000 annual maximum regardless of city.

How much do fillings and crowns cost with a plan in Phoenix?

We publish national figures rather than a separate Phoenix fee schedule. A composite filling typically runs $200-$400 retail and $95-$145 on the published Careington member fee schedule. A crown averages about $1,300 without insurance and roughly $520-$1,040 after a typical 20-60% discount. Ask the office for the member rate before you book.

What is the catch with dental savings plans in Phoenix?

The plan lowers fees but never covers them: a discounted $2,400 implant case still leaves roughly four figures on you, and discounts vary by procedure and office. Participation varies office by office and no carrier publishes a Phoenix dentist count. Search the plan directory by ZIP before enrolling, or call the office in Phoenix or Scottsdale and ask whether they accept the plan by name.

Is there a Phoenix-specific dental savings plan?

Not among the plans we review. All five are national discount memberships sold at the same price in Phoenix as elsewhere. Any page advertising exclusive Phoenix rates invented them.

Will my dentist in Phoenix accept a savings plan?

Participation varies office by office and no carrier publishes a Phoenix dentist count. Search the plan directory by ZIP before enrolling, or call the office in Phoenix or Scottsdale and ask whether they accept the plan by name.

Do these plans count as insurance?

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.