Find a plan.
South Dakota dental insurance guide 2023

South Dakota dental insurance guide 2023

The state's health insurance marketplace has certified individual and family dental plans from one insurer

South Dakota uses the federally facilitated health insurance marketplace HealthCare.gov for the sale of certified individual and family dental plans.

Not all insurers who offer medical plans through the South Dakota exchange include dental coverage with their health plans, but stand-alone dental plans are available for purchase that cover both adults and children.

Frequently asked questions about dental coverage in South Dakota

How much does dental insurance cost in South Dakota?

For adults who purchase their own stand-alone or family dental coverage through the exchange, premiums range from $43 to $65 per month.

IHC Specialty Benefits reports that the average monthly premium for a stand-alone family dental plan sold in South Dakota in 2022 was $49.98.

If a family is purchasing coverage through the health insurance exchange, the premiums associated with pediatric dental coverage may or may not be offset by premium tax credits (premium subsidies). Here’s more about how that works, depending on whether the health plan has integrated pediatric dental benefits.

Are stand-alone pediatric dental plans on the exchange ACA-compliant?

The pediatric stand-alone dental plans available on the South Dakota marketplace do comply with the ACA’s coverage rules for children’s dental. For consumers, this means out-of-pocket costs for pediatric dental care can not exceed $375 per child in 2023 (or $750 for all the children on a family’s plan), and there is no cap on medically-necessary pediatric dental benefits.

As is the case for all essential health benefits, the specific coverage requirements for pediatric dental care are guided by the state’s essential health benefits benchmark plan.

The South Dakota benchmark plan does include coverage for both basic and major dental services for children.

Which insurers offer dental coverage through the South Dakota marketplace?

In 2023, one insurer offers stand-alone individual/family dental coverage through the health insurance marketplace in South Dakota. These are dental plans that are not included with a medical plan and must be purchased separately:

  • BEST Life

This coverage can be purchased through HealthCare.gov during open enrollment (November 1 to January 15) or during a special enrollment period triggered by a qualifying life event. Exchange-certified stand-alone dental plans are compliant with the ACA’s rules for pediatric dental coverage.

Can I buy dental insurance outside of South Dakota's exchange?

There are a variety of dental insurers that sell stand-alone dental policies directly to consumers in the Mount Rushmore State. These plans are not subject to the ACA’s essential health benefit rules for pediatric dental coverage, but they are regulated by the South Dakota Division of Insurance. If you would like to purchase a non-ACA qualified dental plan, ask a dentist for recommendations or search online.

In South Dakota, there are also various dental discount plans available. Dental discount plans are not insurance, but they can offer discounted prices on care at participating dentists. Learn about the differences between dental insurance and dental discount plans.

To find plans in your area, search online for dental discount plans and the state you are looking to buy a plan in.

How does South Dakota Medicaid and CHIP provide dental coverage?

Adults enrolled in Medicaid in South Dakota are eligible for some dental services up to an annual limit of $1,000. Dental services for Medicaid eligible adults include preventive, crowns, root canals and dentures. Children eligible for Medicaid in South Dakota also receive these dental benefits with no annual cap.

South Dakota’s CHIP, provides coverage to uninsured children and pregnant women with income above the eligibility limits for Medicaid.

Related articles

Here's what you need to know when you're shopping for adult dental coverage through a state health insurance marketplace or directly from a dental plan carrier.
There is no penalty for not having pediatric dental on your policy – and in most exchanges, you can purchase a plan without pediatric dental. But off-exchange, carriers are required ...
If you're an adult who bought a dental insurance plan, your out-of-pocket costs will depend entirely on the amount of dental care you need during the year. But for children, ...
For those who purchase their own insurance, the decision to purchase dental coverage is not always as clear-cut as the decision to purchase health insurance.
Pediatric dental is one of the essential health benefits, although it’s a bit more complicated than the other nine. Some medical policies have pediatric dental embedded in the plan, and ...
Dental insurance and dental discount plans can both be useful in terms of reducing your total dental costs, but they vary significantly in terms of the benefits you get and ...

Other types of coverage

Individual and Family
Short-term
Medicaid
Medicare

South Dakota health insurance marketplace guide 2023

South Dakota has two carriers offering plans in the individual market for 2023, including Wellmark BCBSSD, which rejoined the market after previously exiting at the end of 2016. The overall average rate increase for the two existing insurers was about 11.4% for 2023. Medicaid expansion takes effect in July 2023 in South Dakota, which will likely result in lower exchange enrollment for 2024.

Compare plans!
South Dakota health insurance marketplace guide 2023

Short-term health insurance in South Dakota

Check short-term health insurance plan availability in South Dakota and shop for coverage. Learn about state regulations regarding short-term plan duration and renewal.

View plan availability in your state.
Short-term health insurance in South Dakota

Medicaid eligibility and enrollment in South Dakota

South Dakota voters approved a Medicaid expansion ballot measure in the 2022 election. As a result, South Dakota will expand Medicaid eligibility in July 2023, allowing low-income adults to enroll in the program.

See if you're eligible.
Medicaid eligibility and enrollment in South Dakota

Medicare in South Dakota

For all information on Medicare in South Dakota, healthinsurance.org has you covered. Get all the resources you need to make an informed decision.

Compare plans!
Medicare in South Dakota

Learn about health insurance coverage options in your state.

Our state guides offer up-to-date information about ACA-compliant individual and family plans and marketplace enrollment; Medicaid expansion status and Medicaid eligibility; short-term health insurance regulations and short-term plan availability; and Medicare plan options.