6 Best Companies for Pet Dental Insurance

A majority of dogs and cats have some form of dental disease by age 3, studies show.^[0]

To find the best pet dental insurance plans, we looked for highly rated companies that cover a wide range of tooth problems, including periodontal disease, in their standard plans. (Some companies don’t cover dental illnesses, while others charge extra for the coverage.) We also chose insurers with optional wellness care plans, which can help you prevent dental issues through routine teeth cleaning for your pet.

Dental accidents and illnesses: ASPCA's Complete Coverage plan includes tooth extractions for dental accidents, plus treatment for a range of dental issues like gingivitis, stomatitis (inflammation of the mouth), periodontal disease, tooth abscesses and tumors​​. This plan also covers teeth cleanings prescribed for dental diseases​​. But it won’t pay for root canals, crowns or other endodontic or orthodontic procedures.

Routine care: ASPCA’s optional preventive care packages pay for routine dental cleanings and annual wellness exams to look for issues like periodontal disease.

» READ MORE: ASPCA pet insurance review

Embrace

Dental accidents and illnesses: Embrace's policies cover various dental conditions including broken teeth, extractions, gingivitis, stomatitis, and periodontal disease. They also cover root canals and crowns, which is uncommon in the industry. However, Embrace caps its dental coverage at $1,000 per policy year, which may not be enough for more expensive procedures.

Routine care: Embrace offers a Wellness Rewards plan you can purchase for an extra cost. Like many other wellness plans, it helps pay for routine dental care such as teeth cleaning and annual dental checkups. However, it covers extras that other companies generally don’t, such as toothbrushes and toothpaste, dental chews, and teeth brushing by groomers.

» READ MORE: Embrace pet insurance review

Fetch

Dental accidents and illnesses: The Fetch accident and illness plan covers issues affecting the gums and every tooth, not just canines or molars. The coverage includes periodontal disease, tumors in the mouth and oral traumas.

Routine care: Fetch has three optional wellness plans to choose from, with annual dental cleaning allowances ranging from $175 to $250. The more comprehensive (and expensive) the plan you get, the more other services it’ll cover, including vaccinations, microchipping and behavioral exams.

» READ MORE: Fetch pet insurance review

MetLife

Dental accidents and illnesses: A standard MetLife plan covers treatment for periodontal disease, which may include cleaning if your vet recommends it as a treatment. MetLife also covers fractured teeth and other dental injuries, plus endodontic and orthodontic procedures — which many other companies don’t cover. MetLife won’t pay to fix cosmetic issues.

Routine care: If you buy your MetLife wellness plan online, you can get $100 to $150 per year toward dental cleaning. Alternatively, you can call to get a plan that may pay more toward the procedure, subject to your annual deductible and coverage limit.

» READ MORE: MetLife pet insurance review

Pumpkin

Dental accidents and illnesses: Pumpkin’s accident and illness plan covers tooth extractions due to periodontal disease, fractures or unerupted teeth, among other issues. It will also pay for cleanings if prescribed for a covered illness. Like many insurers, however, Pumpkin won’t cover aesthetic, endodontic or orthodontic procedures, including root canals.

Routine care: Pumpkin has two different types of wellness coverage: Preventive Essentials, which is an add-on to the company’s accident and illness policies, and Wellness Club, a standalone option. Of these, only Wellness Club Premium plans offer coverage for routine dental cleaning — up to $150 per year.

» READ MORE: Pumpkin pet insurance review

Spot

Dental accidents and illnesses: Spot's accident and illness plans include treatments for dental diseases and infections, as well as tooth extractions resulting from dental accidents​​. If your pet needs a cleaning to treat a covered illness, Spot will pay for that, too. However, Spot doesn’t cover aesthetic, cosmetic, endodontic or orthodontic procedures such as root canals or crowns.

Routine care: Both of Spot’s optional preventive care plans, Gold and Platinum, can help pay for routine dental cleanings. Depending on which plan you choose, you can get $100 to $150 toward your vet bill.

» READ MORE: Spot pet insurance review

Dental expenses generally fall under two different types of pet insurance coverage: accidents and illnesses, and routine care.

Dental accidents and illnesses

Standard pet insurance plans are designed to cover unexpected accidents or illnesses. If your pet breaks a tooth or develops dental disease, traditional accident and illness policies may pay for tooth extractions, jaw fracture repairs, root canals or other treatment.

But coverage for dental illnesses can vary quite a bit between providers. Some insurers like Lemonade cover dental illnesses only if you purchase an optional add-on, while others like AKC and Healthy Paws exclude periodontal disease entirely.

Also, not all plans cover procedures like root canals. Read the fine print to understand exactly which dental treatments are covered or excluded. Coverage may differ based on when you enrolled your pet, where you live and the specifics of your policy. If dental illness coverage is a priority for you, confirm the details before enrolling.

Routine dental care

Standard pet insurance policies generally don’t pay for routine dental care such as teeth cleanings and checkups. To cover these, consider a wellness add-on. These plans can help manage costs for regular dental upkeep, preventing bigger problems down the line. However, not all pet insurance companies offer wellness coverage.

Keep in mind that wellness plans typically offer a set amount of money per year toward dental cleanings, such as $100 or $150. This allowance may not be enough to cover the entire cost of a cleaning.

» MORE: What does pet insurance cover?

Standard pet insurance policies generally won’t cover these dental treatments and procedures:

• Routine teeth cleaning.

• Cosmetic procedures like caps, crowns or orthodontic treatments.

• Pre-existing dental diseases or injuries that were present before your policy's effective date.

Some companies may cover periodontal disease or other dental issues only if you meet certain conditions, such as getting your pet an annual dental exam.

» MORE: The best pet insurance for pre-existing conditions

Caring for your furry friend’s teeth can get expensive. Getting one or more teeth extracted can cost upwards of $500, with complicated cases totaling $2,500 or more.

Meanwhile, a routine dental cleaning costs an average of $376 for dogs and $314 for cats, according to a 2023 survey from CareCredit.^[0]

Your own costs will vary based on where you live, the size and age of your pet, and the condition of your pet’s teeth.

» MORE: Is pet insurance worth the cost?

Each pet insurer covers dental care a little differently. Before you buy a policy, make sure you understand what is and isn’t covered. Many providers have sample policies available to read online. Here are a few questions to look into:

• Does the plan cover dental illnesses, including periodontal disease?

• Does the plan include treatment for all teeth, or just certain ones such as canines?

• Is there an annual limit on dental coverage?

• How long is the waiting period before dental coverage takes effect?

• If you’re considering a wellness plan, how much of a benefit is available for routine dental cleanings?

• Are there certain things you need to do to make sure your pet stays eligible for dental coverage, such as getting them an annual exam?