On this page14 sections
- Ratings and complaints
- Ameritas vs. competitors
- Pricing
- Step by step
- Ameritas dental insurance legitimacy and licensing
- Ameritas dental plans and cost
- No waiting period, but read the first-year percentages
- Network and how claims are paid
- Complaints and how to avoid problems
- Cancelling and refunds
- Who should skip Ameritas
- What customers say
- Alternatives
- FAQ
Ameritas is a legitimate, 1887-founded mutual-based insurer rated A (Excellent) by AM Best, and its PrimeStar individual dental plans are one of the few lines that cover basic and major work from day one with no waiting periods. The tradeoff is that day-one coverage is thin: on the cheapest plan, major work is paid at 10% in network the first year, and maximums only reach their full level after you keep the plan a year. Customer reviews are poor on Trustpilot and the Ameritas Benefits app, mostly about claims and finding network dentists, so check that your dentist is in the Classic (PPO) network before you buy.
- Insurer
- Ameritas Life Insurance Corp., Lincoln, Nebraska (Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. of New York in New York), subsidiaries of Ameritas Mutual Holding Company1
- Financial strength
- A (Excellent) from AM Best and A+ (Strong) from S&P1
- Individual plans
- PrimeStar Care Lite, Care Boost and Care Complete (effective April 1, 2026 in 31 states and DC); older PrimeStar Lite, Boost and Complete in other states2
- Average cost
- $29.75 (Care Lite), $48.09 (Care Boost) and $55.79 (Care Complete) a month per policyholder, per Ameritas' March 2026 product guide; priced by ZIP code, not age2
- Waiting periods
- None on PrimeStar plans; coverage can start the next day3
- Annual maximum
- Care plans: $750 to $2,000 on day one, rising to $1,500 to $3,500 after year one; preventive care does not count against it3
- Deductible
- $0 for preventive; $50 per person for basic and major3
- Availability
- Ages 18+ and dependents; no individual dental plans in Massachusetts2
Pros
- No waiting periods on any PrimeStar plan
- Preventive care at 100% in network without using the annual maximum
- Maximums up to $3,500 after year one on Care Complete
- Implants, child orthodontia and hearing aids covered on some plans
- Financially strong: A (Excellent) from AM Best, A+ from S&P
Cons
- Major work paid at only 10% to 20% in network during the first year
- Premiums and plan lineup vary by ZIP code and state; none sold in Massachusetts
- Out-of-network claims paid at the lowest network fee in your ZIP code, so you pay the rest
- Poor customer reviews: 1.4 on Trustpilot and 1.8 for the Ameritas Benefits app
Best for: Adults without work coverage who need fillings or other basic care soon and plan to keep the policy past the first year.
Skip it if: You need a crown, implant or root canal in the next few months and want most of it paid, since first-year major coverage is 10% to 20%.
Ameritas vs. competitors
| Company | Monthly price | Wait for basic care | Wait for major care | Annual maximum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ameritas PrimeStar | Average $29.75 to $55.79 (Care plans); by ZIP code | None | None, but 10% to 20% paid in year one | $750 to $2,000 year one; $1,500 to $3,500 after |
| Guardian | From $17 | None on most plans; 6 months on Starter | 12 months on Advantage; none on Select (50+) | $1,000 to $3,000 |
| MetLife TakeAlong Dental | Not published; quote by ZIP code | 6 months in a 2019 PPO summary | 12 months in a 2019 PPO summary | Varies by option |
| Humana Extend 2500 | Not published; quote by state and age | 90 days (varies by state) | 12 months | $2,500 |
Ameritas pricing at a glance
Ameritas PrimeStar Care dental plans, effective April 1, 20263
| Plan | Average cost a month | Annual max (day one, after year one) | Basic in network (day one, after year one) | Major in network (day one, after year one) | Extras |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Care Lite | $29.75 | $750, $1,500 | 50%, 80% | 10%, 20% | No implants or orthodontia |
| Care Boost | $48.09 | $1,000, $2,500 | 65%, 80% | 20%, 50% | Child orthodontia (15% then 50%, $1,000 lifetime), whitening, implants |
| Care Complete | $55.79 | $2,000, $3,500 | 80%, 90% | 20%, 50% | Implants, hearing exam and hearing aids ($200 then $400 per ear) |
Preventive care is covered at 100% in network on all three plans and does not reduce the annual maximum. Average costs come from Ameritas' agent product guide; your price depends on your ZIP code. Care plans are sold in AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, DC, DE, HI, IA, ID, IN, KS, KY, ME, MI, MN, NC, ND, NE, NH, NV, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, UT, VT, WV and WY; other states have the older PrimeStar Lite, Boost and Complete with maximums up to $3,000.
Ameritas, step by step
Check your dentist first
Search the Ameritas Classic (PPO) network at ameritas.com. Network dentists agree to charge 25% to 50% less than their regular rates.
Get a ZIP code quote
Enter your ZIP code at myplan.ameritas.com to see which PrimeStar plans are sold where you live and their exact prices.
Pick a plan by what you need
Care Lite suits cleanings and fillings; Care Boost adds child orthodontia and implants; Care Complete has the highest maximum and hearing benefits.
Start the next day
Coverage can begin as soon as tomorrow, with your ID card in your online member account. If you are replacing a fully insured dental plan, ask about credit for prior coverage, which can start you at the higher coverage level.
Keep it a year
Coverage percentages and maximums rise after one year on the plan, so plan big work for year two when you can.
Cancelling
Contact Ameritas customer service to cancel. Your policy lists the free-look period during which you can cancel for a refund; after that, unused months are generally not refunded.
Ameritas dental insurance legitimacy and licensing
Yes. Ameritas is a marketing name for subsidiaries of Ameritas Mutual Holding Company, and PrimeStar dental plans are underwritten by Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. of Lincoln, Nebraska, founded in 1887. AM Best rates it A (Excellent) and S&P rates it A+ (Strong) for financial strength, and Ameritas says it serves 6 million customers.
The BBB gives Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. an A+ and lists 56 complaints in three years across all its products. Trustpilot is much harsher, at 1.4 out of 5 from 66 reviews, and the Ameritas Benefits app scores 1.8 on the App Store. Those are small samples, but the same themes repeat: claims, customer service and the provider directory.
Ameritas dental plans and cost
For individuals, Ameritas sells PrimeStar plans. In 31 states and DC, the 2026 lineup is PrimeStar Care Lite, Care Boost and Care Complete, effective April 1, 2026. Ameritas’ March 2026 agent guide lists average policyholder costs of $29.75, $48.09 and $55.79 a month. Price depends on your ZIP code, not your age.
Other states still sell the earlier PrimeStar Lite, Boost and Complete, with maximums of $750 to $2,500 on day one rising to $1,500 to $3,000 after the first year. No Ameritas individual dental plans are sold in Massachusetts. Many people also get Ameritas dental through an employer; those group plans have their own rules.
No waiting period, but read the first-year percentages
Ameritas PrimeStar plans have no waiting periods, which is why they show up in searches for dental insurance you can use right away. What changes after the first year is how much the plan pays. On Care Lite, basic care such as fillings is paid at 50% in network in year one and 80% after; major care such as crowns and root canals is paid at 10%, then 20%. Care Boost and Care Complete pay 20% for major care in year one and 50% after.
So a $1,200 crown in your first month would mostly come out of your pocket even on the top plan. If you have a big procedure coming, get a pre-treatment estimate and compare it with the year-two numbers before you schedule.
What customers say about Ameritas
Recurring themes across the review sites and complaint records listed above, not individual quotes.
Common praise
- No waiting periods, so basic and major work is covered from the start
- Preventive care that does not use up the annual maximum
- Higher maximums than many individual plans after the first year
- Individual staff members who explain benefits clearly
Common complaints
- Claims denied or paid at lower percentages than members expected
- Hard-to-reach customer service and a website that is difficult to use
- Network directory listings that do not match dentists actually taking the plan
- Slow claim processing
Network and how claims are paid
You can see any dentist, but Ameritas Dental Network (Classic PPO) dentists agree to charge 25% to 50% less than their regular rates. Out of network, Ameritas pays based on the Maximum Allowable Benefit, which equals the lowest network fee in your ZIP code area, and you owe the difference between that and the dentist’s bill. That gap is a common source of surprise bills.
Complaints and how to avoid problems
Recurring complaints on Trustpilot and the BBB involve denied or partly paid claims, members who expected higher coverage, hard-to-reach service, website trouble and network listings that do not match reality. Before buying, call your dentist’s office and ask whether it takes Ameritas PrimeStar, not just Ameritas group plans. For major work, ask the dentist to send a pre-treatment estimate. If a claim dispute stalls, you can file a complaint with your state insurance department.
Cancelling and refunds
You can cancel by contacting Ameritas customer service. Your policy includes a free-look period during which you can return it for a refund; the length is set by your state and printed in the policy. After that, Ameritas generally does not refund premiums for months you did not use, so cancel before your next draft date. Dropping coverage also resets you to day-one benefit levels if you buy again later.
Who should skip Ameritas
If your job, the federal FEDVIP program or your marketplace offers group dental, compare that first. If you need major work right away and want most of it covered, Ameritas’ first-year percentages are low, and you may do better paying a dental school clinic or negotiating a cash price. And if you live in Massachusetts, Ameritas does not sell individual dental plans there.
Alternatives to Ameritas
- Guardian individual dental Lower starting prices published online and plans for people 50+ that cover basic and major work from day one. Read review
- Delta Dental individual plans A large national network worth quoting if your dentist is not in the Ameritas Classic network. Read review
- Employer, FEDVIP or marketplace dental Group plans through work, the federal FEDVIP program, or a dental plan added at HealthCare.gov or your state marketplace are often cheaper per dollar of coverage.
- Dental schools and community health centers If you have no coverage, dental school clinics and HRSA-funded health centers with sliding-scale fees can cost less than a year of premiums.
Ameritas reviews
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Frequently asked questions
Does Ameritas dental insurance have a waiting period?
No. Ameritas PrimeStar individual plans have no waiting periods, and coverage can start the next day. Coverage percentages and maximums are lower in the first year and rise after you have been on the plan a year.
How much does Ameritas dental insurance cost?
Ameritas' March 2026 product guide lists average policyholder costs of $29.75 a month for PrimeStar Care Lite, $48.09 for Care Boost and $55.79 for Care Complete. Your price is set by ZIP code, not age.
Is Ameritas a PPO?
PrimeStar plans let you see any dentist and pay more when you use Ameritas Dental Network (Classic PPO) dentists, who agree to charge 25% to 50% less than their usual rates. Out of network, you pay any amount above the plan's allowance.
What is the annual maximum on Ameritas dental plans?
On the 2026 Care plans, the maximum for basic and major work is $750, $1,000 or $2,000 on day one and $1,500, $2,500 or $3,500 after year one, depending on the plan. Preventive care does not count against it.
Does Ameritas cover implants?
PrimeStar Care Boost and Care Complete include implant coverage with their own yearly limits ($500 to $1,000 on day one, rising after year one), deducted from the annual maximum. Care Lite does not cover implants.
Does Ameritas cover braces?
Care Boost covers orthodontia for children under 19, at 15% in year one and 50% after, with a $1,000 lifetime maximum per child. Ameritas individual plans in this lineup do not list adult orthodontia.
Is Ameritas good dental insurance for seniors?
Ameritas prices by ZIP code rather than age, which can help older buyers, and Care Complete adds hearing exams and hearing aids. Medicare does not cover routine dental, so compare Ameritas with Medicare Advantage dental benefits and Guardian's 50+ plans.
Is Ameritas dental available in my state?
Ameritas sells individual dental in most states but not Massachusetts, and the plan lineup differs by state. Enter your ZIP code at myplan.ameritas.com to see what is offered.
Who underwrites Ameritas dental insurance?
Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. of Lincoln, Nebraska underwrites PrimeStar plans; in New York, coverage comes from Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. of New York. Both are subsidiaries of Ameritas Mutual Holding Company.
How do I cancel Ameritas dental insurance?
Contact Ameritas customer service by phone or through your member account. Cancel before your next payment date, because Ameritas generally does not refund unused months outside the policy's free-look period.
Sources (10)
Facts on this page come from company websites, government agencies and regulators, checked on the dates shown. Editorial standards
- Ameritas: About Ameritas and financial ratings (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Ameritas: PrimeStar product guide for agents (GR 7708, March 2026) (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Ameritas: PrimeStar Care dental plan details, effective April 1, 2026 (GR 8228) (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Ameritas: PrimeStar Lite, Boost and Complete plan details (GR 8085) (accessed October 12, 2026)
- BBB: Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. business profile (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Trustpilot: Ameritas reviews (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Apple App Store: Ameritas Benefits (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Guardian: Dental plans for individuals and families (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Humana: Humana Extend 2500 plan (accessed October 12, 2026)
- HRSA: Find a health center (accessed October 12, 2026)
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