Yes, for households that want one simple annual membership on a huge network. Care 500 costs $175/year for one member ($14.58/mo equivalent), $211 for two, and $229 for three or more, with no setup fee and immediate use. It runs the Careington Care 500 network at 20-60% advertised savings. It is a discount plan, not insurance.
Generic math for the category lives on are dental savings plans worth it. This page is 1Dental-specific. Full pricing, pros, and cons: 1Dental review 2026 and the 1Dental plan review. Head-to-head with the same network sold direct: Careington vs 1Dental.
| Household size | Annual price | Monthly equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 1 member | $175/yr | $14.58/mo |
| 2 members | $211/yr | $17.58/mo |
| 3 or more members | $229/yr | $19.08/mo |
| Setup fee | $0, all fees included | |
Network: the Careington Care 500 network, one of the largest in the U.S. Advertised savings: 20-60%. Waiting period: none, and unlike most plans it is usable immediately rather than after a few business days. Annual maximum: none. Figures from our 1Dental plan data, verified July 2026.
We are not inventing a payback multiple. These are the typical discounted ranges from our accuracy-audited cost index, inside the plan's 20-60% advertised band. Compare them to the $175/year membership yourself.
| Procedure | Average retail | Typical discounted price |
|---|---|---|
| Routine cleaning | $75-$200 | $50-$100 |
| Composite filling | $100-$400 | $80-$160 |
| Porcelain crown | $800-$2,500 | $520-$1,040 |
| Root canal, molar | $900-$1,500 | $500-$1,000 |
| Braces (child, per course) | $3,000-$7,000 | 20-60% off |
| Single dental implant | $3,000-$6,000 | $1,800-$3,600 |
Discounts vary by provider and procedure. Your dentist's quote with the membership is the real number.
The base Care 500 covers general dentistry. The Preferred Plan ($247/yr, about $20.58/mo) adds the Aetna Dental Access network specifically for specialist work: root canals, implants, oral surgery, and braces. If a specialist visit is already on your calendar, run both through the dental savings calculator and see which nets more.
For a participating-dentist household visiting twice a year, yes: $175/year with no setup fee against 20-60% advertised discounts pays for itself by the second visit for most procedures. Households of three or more get the best per-person deal at $229/year.
Same network, different seller. 1Dental resells the Careington Care 500 plan. Singles pay slightly more than Careington direct; larger households should compare tiers. The trade-off is convenience: no setup fee, immediate activation, and one checkout.
No. It is a discount membership on the Careington network: no claims, no waiting periods, no caps. You pay the discounted fee directly at the visit.