What Is a Dental Membership Plan?
Updated July 2026 · 4 min read
A dental membership plan is an individual dental office's own in-house plan. You pay that one practice directly — usually $300–$400/year — and it typically includes your cleanings and exams plus a discount (around 15–25%) on other work. It only works at that specific office. That makes it different from a dental savings plan, which is a national discount card (~$99–$189/year) you can use at a large network of dentists.
How a Dental Membership Plan Works
A dental office sets up its own plan and sells it straight to its patients. You pay the office an annual fee, and in return you usually get:
- • Your preventive care included — typically two cleanings, two exams, and routine X-rays per year, bundled into the fee.
- • A discount on everything else — fillings, crowns, root canals — usually somewhere around 15–25% off that office’s normal price.
- • No insurance paperwork — no claims, no deductibles, no annual maximum. You just pay the office directly.
The catch is right there in the design: it only works at that one office. Move, travel, or switch dentists, and the plan has no value anywhere else. One real consumer-facing example of this model is Aspen Dental, a national chain that sells its own in-office Savings Plan you use at its locations — see our full Aspen Dental Savings Plan vs. a national savings plan breakdown.
Membership Plan vs. Savings Plan
| Feature | Dental Membership Plan | Dental Savings Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Who you pay | One specific dental office | A national plan (Careington, DentalPlans.com) |
| Where it works | Only that one practice | Any dentist in a large national network |
| Typical annual cost | $300–$400/individual | $129–$189/individual |
| What you get | Cleanings/exams included + ~15–25% off other work | 10–60% off the dentist’s fee schedule |
| Portable if you move? | No — you start over | Yes — same plan, new in-network dentist |
Want the full cost breakdown across routine care and major work? Read Dental Savings Plan vs. Dental Membership Plan: Which Is Cheaper? →
A Note on Membersy, Kleer, and “Clerri”
If you've searched membership plans, you've seen the names Membersy and Kleer. They merged and now operate as Clerri — and the important thing to know is that Clerri is business software for dental practices, not a consumer product. It's the technology dentists use to build and run their own membership plans. You don't sign up with Clerri as a patient. You get a membership plan through a participating dental office that happens to run it on that software. The relationship is always with the dentist.
So Which Should You Get?
A membership plan makes sense if you're genuinely loyal to one dentist, you're staying put, and that office's plan is well-priced. For most other people — anyone who wants flexibility, travels, or might switch dentists — a dental savings plan is usually cheaper and far more flexible, because it works across a large national network instead of a single chair.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a dental membership plan?
A dental membership plan is an in-house plan sold directly by an individual dental office. You pay that one practice an annual fee (often $300–$400) that usually includes your cleanings, exams, and X-rays, plus a discount (around 15–25%) on other work like fillings and crowns. It only works at that specific office — it is not insurance and is not a national network.
How is a dental membership plan different from a dental savings plan?
A dental membership plan ties you to one specific dental office that you pay directly. A dental savings plan is a national discount card (like Careington or DentalPlans.com) that costs around $99–$189/year and works at a large network of dentists. The membership plan suits people loyal to one dentist; the savings plan suits people who want flexibility or might switch dentists.
Are Membersy, Kleer, or Clerri consumer dental membership plans?
No. Membersy and Kleer merged and now operate as Clerri, which is a business software platform that dental practices use to run their own membership plans. It is not a consumer product you sign up for directly. Patients get a membership plan only through a participating dental office that uses that software.
Is a dental membership plan worth it?
It is worth it if you are loyal to one specific dentist, you are not moving, and that office's plan is well-priced. For most other people — anyone who wants flexibility, travels, or might change dentists — a dental savings plan is usually cheaper and far more flexible because it works across a large national network.
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