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Does pet insurance cover dental treatment?
Dental treatment is an important part of medical care for pets. Dental problems can be painful and make it difficult for pets to eat, and they can also lead to larger, more expensive medical issues.
'We see tooth loss that can lead to pain, and bacteria in the mouth can enter the bloodstream and enter the heart, liver, and kidneys,' said Sandra Faeh, a veterinarian in Wayne, Illinois, and president of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
Most pet insurance covers some forms of dental treatment, but the coverage and costs can vary depending on the insurer and the type of policy. Here are some pet dental issues to watch out for, and how pet insurance can help cover the costs.
Learn more: How does pet insurance work? A complete guide.
Yes, pet insurance covers dental treatments. In fact, dental disease was the fourth most frequent type of pet insurance claim for cats and the sixth most frequent claim for dogs at Nationwide Pet Insurance, said Emily Tincher, chief veterinary officer for Nationwide Pet Insurance.
Dental accident and illness coverage is included in most general pet insurance policies, rather than as standalone coverage. The exact services covered vary by type of policy.
'Typically, dental illnesses and accidents, like a broken tooth or gum disease, are covered under an accident and illness policy, which is designed to help protect you from unexpected veterinary expenses,' said Elliott Brown, a licensed customer care agent for CarePlus by Chewy, which sells pet insurance. 'On the other hand, routine dental cleanings are usually covered under a [pet] wellness plan.'
Learn more: Your guide to what pet insurance covers
The cost of dental care depends on the pet's age and size, the geographic location, and the type of dental treatment they need. According to claims data from Pets Best, which provides pet insurance and wellness plans for dogs and cats, the average cost of treating dental disease in 2024 was $1,263 for dogs and $1,281 for cats.
Costs for dental treatment often include anesthesia and x-rays in addition to exams and extractions. 'It's important to understand that imaging — radiographs or CT scans — is generally needed to determine if teeth need to be extracted and if other tooth roots are diseased,' said Preston Turano, a doctor of veterinary medicine and veterinary advisor at ASPCA Pet Health Insurance.
'I know practices where an anesthetized oral exam, radiographs, and dental cleaning can cost $500 and other practices where it can be more than $1,000,' said Dr. Naomi Hoyer, a board-certified veterinary dentist and chair of the American Veterinary Dental College's advocacy committee. An estimate including extractions, which is often the treatment for periodontal disease and abscesses, could add an additional $200 to $400 or more, depending on the severity of the disease, she said.
Costs for cleaning can vary by location and the services that are included.
For example, Chewy Vet Care charges $699 for a comprehensive oral health assessment and treatment, which includes examining teeth, gums, and oral tissues under anesthesia, taking dental x-rays, and performing necessary treatments such as cleaning, scaling, and polishing.
Dental issues tend to be different for pets than they are for people. 'In people, we think about cavities, but they are less common in pets,' said Faeh. 'We see more broken teeth and broken roots, periodontal [gum] disease, infected teeth and abscesses,' which is a bacterial infection around the root of the tooth. Pets can also develop tumors in the mouth, and some dogs — especially small-breed dogs — may not lose their baby teeth automatically and need extractions.
Periodontal disease is the most common dental problem for dogs and cats, which can include tartar accumulation on the teeth, inflammation of the gums, and bacterial infection of the gums and the periodontal ligament that holds the teeth in place, said Emily Singler, doctor of veterinary medicine and the veterinary content specialist at the American Animal Hospital Association 'This can lead to tissue damage, loose teeth, pain, trouble eating, teeth falling out, bad breath and in severe cases, spread of infection via the blood stream to other parts of the body, like the kidneys, heart and lungs,' she said.
Dogs tend to have more dental problems from aggressive chewing and broken teeth than cats. 'Dogs are more likely to fracture teeth, break them off, and affect the nerve,' said Tincher. 'There are different ways to go about fixing that, but most of the time the tooth is removed.'
Cats tend to suffer more frequently from tooth resorption, where the surface of the tooth erodes and exposes the sensitive part of the root. 'Sometimes this starts when they are still kittens, and in some cases it also includes inflammation of other tissues in the mouth, a condition called stomatitis, which is very painful and can make eating challenging,' said Singler.
Tincher said that pet insurance policies at Nationwide often start at $30 to $50 per month for younger pets, depending on their location and breed.
You usually have to pay part of the cost of covered care. Most pet insurance policies have a deductible, copayments, and an annual coverage cap. For example, you may have to pay a $250 deductible before coverage kicks in, then pay 20% of the cost of care, up to an annual coverage limit of $5,000. Find out if the policy has separate coverage caps for dental care or an overall cap for all covered pet care.
Preexisting dental conditions usually aren't covered. 'If you're interested in pet insurance, it's important to enroll early before dental disease is present. You don't want to enroll with a broken tooth and expect it to be covered,' said Faeh.
Find out exactly how the plan defines preexisting dental conditions. 'Determine if the presence of tartar on a pet's teeth at the time the insurance policy is written is counted as a preexisting condition that precludes coverage,' said Singler.
Learn more: Pet insurance that covers preexisting conditions
Pet wellness plans usually cover annual check-ups, routine dental cleanings, vaccinations, blood and urine tests, and other preventive care. Some have an annual coverage limit for dental cleaning, such as $100 to $150 per year, or an overall annual coverage limit of $300 to $700, depending on the plan.
Learn more: Does pet insurance cover vaccines?
General practice veterinarians can handle most pet dental issues, including extractions. But the pet may need to go to a veterinary dentist for specialty care: for a difficult-to-reach extraction or to try to preserve the tooth, for example.
'Most of the time, when teeth are damaged, they are removed,' said Tincher. 'But when we have working dogs — like police dogs and military dogs — their teeth are important for their work, and they'll try to go to a board-certified dentist.' These veterinary dentists can perform root canals and caps to try to preserve the working dog's teeth, which can cost more.
Preventive dental care can help catch problems early and reduce future costs. The vet typically examines the pet's teeth during their annual check-up, but they may need to put the dog or cat under anesthesia to identify some of the bigger issues.
Singler recommends that most dogs and cats have a dental cleaning under anesthesia by the time they're two years old, and every few years after that. 'This allows not only for a cleaning of all teeth above and below the gumline, but also a full oral evaluation to take dental X-rays and an examination of the teeth, gums, and other structures in the mouth,' she said.
Pets can't tell us they're in pain, but they can give us a lot of clues.
'Bad breath, visible tartar on the teeth, bleeding gums, dropping food, drooling more, pawing at the mouth, and shaking the head after eating can all be signs of a dental problem,' said Singler. 'Other signs can include swelling around the mouth or under the eye, teeth chattering, and flinching or turning away when their face is touched. Some animals won't let on that their mouth is bothering them at all but may seem depressed, lethargic, and just not themselves.'
Contact your veterinarian if you see any of these warning signs. 'You know your pet better than anybody,' said Faeh. 'We'd rather have you call earlier than wait too long. Having that good relationship with your veterinarian is key.'
