Most dogs and cats have some form of dental disease by age 3, studies show. Left untreated, these diseases can lead to tooth loss, infections and even heart problems. That’s why it’s important to consider pet insurance that covers dental issues — and not all plans do.
For example, some companies won’t cover dental illnesses at all, while others charge extra for the coverage. Pulling out diseased teeth can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars, so finding out your plan doesn’t cover it could be an expensive surprise.
To find the best pet dental insurance plans, we looked for highly rated companies that cover a wide range of tooth problems in their standard plans. Because illnesses like periodontal disease are a common exclusion, we checked to make sure those were covered. We also chose insurers with optional wellness care plans. These can help you prevent dental issues through routine teeth cleaning for your pet.
ASPCA
Dog
$39 /month
Cat
$19 /month
ASPCA is a good bet for pet parents seeking broad coverage, including treatment for dental disease.
Annual max coverage
Unlimited
Reimbursement rates
70%, 80%, 90%
Deductibles
$100-$750
Policy highlight
Broader coverage than most other plans.
Dental accidents and illnesses: ASPCA's Complete Coverage plan can treat gingivitis, periodontal disease and other dental illnesses. It can also pay to pull teeth injured in an accident or treat tooth abscesses and oral tumors. If your pet needs a dental cleaning to help resolve a dental disease, the plan can pay for that, too. But it won’t reimburse you for caps, implants, or other endodontic or orthodontic procedures.
Routine care: ASPCA’s optional preventive care packages can pay for routine dental cleanings. They also cover annual wellness exams to look for issues like periodontal disease.
Waiting periods: Accident and illness coverage comes with a 14-day waiting period. There’s no waiting period for preventive care.
» READ MORE: ASPCA pet insurance review
Embrace
Dog
$39 /month
Cat
$19 /month
Embrace stands out for its flexible wellness plan, which can cover things like toothpaste and dental chews.
Annual max coverage
Unlimited
Reimbursement rates
70%, 80%, 90%
Deductibles
$100 - $1,000
Policy highlight
Wellness plan is more flexible than most.
Dental accidents and illnesses: Embrace's plans cover dental conditions like broken teeth, gingivitis, stomatitis and periodontal disease. They also cover root canals and crowns for some teeth, which is uncommon in the industry. However, Embrace offers only $1,000 of dental care per policy year, which may not be enough for more expensive procedures.
Routine care: Embrace offers a Wellness Rewards plan for an extra cost. Like many other wellness plans, it helps pay for routine dental care such as cleanings and checkups. It also covers toothbrushes and toothpaste, dental chews, and teeth brushing by groomers, which most wellness plans don’t cover.
Waiting periods: Embrace’s waiting periods vary by state. In the sample policies we read, the waiting period for illness coverage was usually 14 days. In some states, there was no waiting period for accident coverage, while others had a two-day wait. The wellness plan takes effect immediately.
» READ MORE: Embrace pet insurance review
MetLife
Dog
$53 /month
Cat
$24 /month
MetLife’s plans cover more dental care than most, including endodontic and orthodontic issues.
Annual max coverage
Unlimited
Reimbursement rates
50% - 90%
Deductibles
$0 - $2,500
Policy highlight
Family plans with a shared deductible for multiple pets.
Dental accidents and illnesses: A MetLife plan can cover treatment for periodontal disease, including cleaning. MetLife also covers fractured teeth and other dental injuries. Unlike some other companies, MetLife can pay for endodontic and orthodontic procedures. But it won’t cover cosmetic issues.
Routine care: If you buy your MetLife wellness plan online, you can get $100 to $150 per year toward dental cleaning. Other plans may be available by phone.
Waiting periods: MetLife has no waiting period for accidents or preventive care. A 14-day waiting period applies for illness coverage.
» READ MORE: MetLife pet insurance review
Pumpkin
Dog
$32 /month
Cat
$15 /month
Pumpkin can reimburse you for big dental bills almost immediately with its PumpkinNow service.
Annual max coverage
Unlimited
Reimbursement rates
80%, 90%
Deductibles
$100 - $1,000
Policy highlight
PumpkinNow service can reimburse you while you’re still at the vet.
Dental accidents and illnesses: Pumpkin’s plan covers tooth extractions due to periodontal disease or fractures, among other issues. It will also pay for cleanings if prescribed for a covered illness. Pumpkin can cover treatment for other conditions like oral tumors and tooth abscesses. But it won’t cover aesthetic, endodontic or orthodontic procedures, including root canals.
Routine care: Pumpkin has two different types of wellness coverage. Preventive Essentials is an add-on to the company’s accident and illness policies, while Wellness Club is a stand-alone option. Of these, only Wellness Club Premium and Elite plans pay for routine dental cleaning — up to $150 per year.
Waiting periods: Pumpkin’s waiting period is 14 days for all accidents and illnesses. Preventive Essentials and Wellness Club plans take effect right away.
» READ MORE: Pumpkin pet insurance review
Spot
Dog
$35 /month
Cat
$17 /month
Spot’s wide-ranging plans can cover a variety of dental issues, but not root canals or crowns.
Annual max coverage
Unlimited
Reimbursement rates
70%, 80%, 90%
Deductibles
$100 - $1,000
Policy highlight
Broad coverage, including microchip implantation.
Dental accidents and illnesses: Spot's plans can treat dental diseases and infections and pay for tooth extractions. If your pet needs a cleaning to treat a covered illness, Spot can pay for that, too. But Spot doesn’t cover aesthetic, cosmetic, endodontic or orthodontic procedures such as root canals or crowns.
Routine care: Both of Spot’s 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.
Waiting periods: Spot plans have a 14-day waiting period for accidents and illnesses. Preventive care coverage starts the day after you sign up.
» READ MORE: Spot pet insurance review
What does pet dental insurance cover?
Dental expenses fall under two types of pet insurance: accidents and illnesses, and routine care.
Dental accidents and illnesses
Standard pet insurance plans are designed to cover unexpected accidents or illnesses. Say your pet breaks a tooth or develops dental disease. An accident and illness plan may pay for tooth extractions, jaw fracture repairs or other treatment.
But dental disease coverage can vary widely among providers. Some insurers like Lemonade cover dental illnesses only if you buy an optional add-on. 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 included. 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 don’t pay for routine dental care such as 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 insurers offer wellness coverage.
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.
Before you buy a wellness plan, weigh the premiums against the cost of the services you think you’ll use. If the math doesn’t come out in your favor, you may be better off saving up to pay for a dental cleaning yourself.
» MORE: What does pet insurance cover?
Which pet dental issues aren’t covered?
Most pet insurance policies won’t cover these dental treatments and procedures:
Routine teeth cleaning.
Cosmetic procedures like caps, crowns or orthodontic treatments.
Dental diseases or injuries that were present before your policy's effective date. So even a company that covers periodontal disease won’t pay to treat it if your pet had it before you bought the policy.
Some companies may cover periodontal disease only if you meet certain conditions, such as getting your pet an annual dental exam.
How much does pet dental care cost?
Caring for your furry friend’s teeth can be 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 $388 for dogs and $375 for cats, according to a 2025 survey from CareCredit.
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.
Smaller dog breeds such as papillons, toy poodles and dachshunds are most likely to develop periodontal disease, according to a 2021 study in The Veterinary Journal. Older and overweight dogs are also at higher risk.
» MORE: Is pet insurance worth the cost?
How to find pet insurance that covers dental problems
Your insurer may deny a dental claim because of little details and exclusions in your policy. To avoid this, get answers to the following questions before you buy a plan:
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?
Choosing pet insurance with dental coverage, combined with home care such as tooth brushing, can help you keep your pet healthy for years to come.
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NerdWallet writers are subject matter authorities who use primary, trustworthy sources to inform their work, including peer-reviewed studies, government websites, academic research and interviews with industry experts. All content is fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness and relevance. You can learn more about NerdWallet's high standards for journalism by reading our editorial guidelines.
- 1.Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. Periodontal Disease. Accessed Aug 10, 2026.
- 2.CareCredit. How Much Does Cat or Dog Teeth Cleaning Cost?. Accessed Aug 10, 2026.
- 3.The Veterinary Journal. Association of Periodontal Disease with Breed Size, Breed, Weight, and Age in Pure-Bred Client-Owned Dogs in the United States. Accessed Aug 10, 2026.
Pet insurance star rating methodology
NerdWallet’s pet insurance ratings reward companies for customer-first features and practices. Ratings are based on weighted averages of scores in several categories, including consumer experience, scope of coverage and the ability to customize your plan. We give higher ratings to companies that cover a wide range of medical treatments and that offer perks such as live chat support and direct vet pay. To calculate each insurer’s star rating, we adjusted the scores to a curved 5-point scale. See our full pet insurance methodology.
These ratings are a guide, but we encourage you to shop around and compare several insurance quotes to find the best rate for you. NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines.
