Secondary dental insurance is an additional dental policy that helps cover costs your primary dental insurance doesn’t fully pay for. When you have two dental insurance policies, the primary plan pays first. After that, the secondary dental insurance steps in to cover remaining expenses like deductibles, co-pays, or services not fully covered by the first plan. This process is called Coordination of Benefits (COB)—both insurance companies work together to ensure you don’t get paid more than the actual cost of the treatment.

Many people ask, “Can you have 2 dental plans?” or “Can you have two dental insurance policies?” The answer is yes. This usually happens when both spouses have dental coverage through their employers or a child is covered under both parents’ plans. In such cases, having secondary dental plans can save you money and give you more comprehensive dental care.

If you're looking for the best secondary dental insurance, focus on what your primary plan doesn’t cover and find a secondary plan that fills those gaps. Make sure to review policy details like premiums, dentist networks, and any “non-duplication of benefits” clauses that might limit what the secondary plan pays. You’ll also need to file claims with both plans — starting with the primary. But when chosen wisely, a secondary plan can greatly reduce your out-of-pocket dental expenses.