A dental membership plan is a plan your dental practice offers to its patients. You pay a monthly or yearly fee, your preventive care (like cleanings, exams, and X-rays) is included, and you save on other treatment. Across the Clerri platform, the average plan costs about $30 a month or $360 a year, but every practice designs and prices its own plan.
A membership plan is not insurance. Clerri is the membership platform used by 25,000+ dentists, and this guide uses platform averages to explain what plans include, what they cost, and how to join.
What a dental membership plan is
A dental membership plan is a subscription plan offered by your dental practice, and you use it at that practice.
Day to day, it works like this:
- You pick a plan offered by your dentist's office and pay for it monthly or yearly.
- Your preventive visits are part of the plan. Preventive care means the routine visits that keep your teeth healthy and help your dentist catch problems early.
- When you need other treatment, you pay the practice directly at the member price.
You may also hear them called in-house, in-office, or subscription plans. The American Dental Association describes in-office dental plans this way: the patient "pays the doctor or dental office a fixed amount of money on a monthly or annual basis. In return, the patient generally receives preventive services at no charge, with other procedures offered at a discounted fee."
Many practices use a platform like Clerri for signup, billing, and the Patient Portal. Each practice designs and prices its own plan, so the details at your dentist may differ from the averages below.
What's included and what it costs
On average across the Clerri platform, patients pay about $30 per month or $360 per year for preventive care including cleanings, exams, X-rays, fluoride, and an emergency visit. Members also save 10% to 25% on other procedures.
These are averages, not a price list. The plan at your dentist may cost more or less and may include different services.
Preventive care
Many plans start from a baseline of two cleanings, two exams, and routine X-rays per year, according to Clerri's guide to starting a dental membership plan, but your practice decides the exact number. Ask the office how many of each visit your plan includes.
Savings on other treatment
Across the Clerri platform, members typically save 10% to 25% on procedures beyond what the plan includes. Your practice's plan lists which services get member pricing and how much you save on each.
Family pricing and payment options
Most plans offer a 5% to 10% discount for adding family members. You can usually choose to pay monthly or pay for the year up front. Either way, plans run for 12 months and renew automatically unless you turn off auto-renewal in your Patient Portal.
Is a dental membership plan insurance?
No. A dental membership plan is not insurance. It is a plan your dental practice offers to its patients.
For you, that means:
- No claims. There are no claim forms to file.
- No carrier rules to track. You don't manage a carrier's deductible or waiting period.
- You pay your practice directly. When you get treatment, you pay the office at member pricing.
- Your practice designs the plan. Plan details, fees, and savings vary by practice and location. Read your practice's plan terms before you join.
How dental savings plans work, and how they differ from your dentist's plan
Many products sold online as "dental savings plans" are discount cards from outside companies. You pay a membership fee for access to discounted rates at dentists in the company's network, then pay the dentist directly.
A discount card usually works like this:
- You pay the company a membership fee.
- You choose a dentist who belongs to the company's network.
- At each visit, you pay that dentist the discounted rate.
The American Dental Association describes discount or referral plans the same way: patients "pay all the costs of treatment at the contracted rate determined by the plan and there are no dental claim forms to file."
Your dentist's membership plan works differently:
- You join the plan your own dental office offers.
- Your preventive care is included in the fee, rather than only discounted.
- For other treatment, you pay the office at member pricing.
A membership plan works at your practice. If your practice is part of a group with several locations, ask whether you can use your plan at the other offices.
Some offices call their own plan a "savings plan," so the name alone won't tell you which kind it is. One question clears it up: "Is this a plan your office offers, or a discount card from an outside company?"
Are dental membership plans worth it?
A membership plan tends to be worth it if you see the same practice regularly and want your routine care included for one predictable fee. The simplest check is to compare the plan's price with what you would normally pay that practice for a year of checkups, cleanings, and X-rays at its regular fees.
For example, using made-up numbers for illustration only: say your practice's plan costs $360 a year, and its regular fees for two exams, two cleanings, and X-rays add up to $450. The plan costs $90 less than those visits. If you also needed a $500 treatment and your plan took 20% off, you would pay $400. If routine visits at your practice cost less than the plan, its value depends on how much other treatment you need.
Who tends to get the most value
- People who pay for dental care directly. Your routine visits come bundled into one monthly or yearly fee, with member pricing on other treatment.
- Families. Most plans offer a 5% to 10% discount for adding family members, and you can manage everyone's plan from one Patient Portal account.
- People who like their dentist. The plan is offered by your practice, so you keep seeing the team you already know.
- People who have fallen behind on checkups. When your preventive visits are already part of the plan, it can be easier to get back on a regular schedule.
When a plan may be a weaker fit
- You rarely go to the dentist and don't plan to start.
- You expect to move or switch dentists soon. A membership plan is offered through your dentist and can't be transferred to a different dentist.
- You want to combine it with another dental plan or discount program, which plans generally don't allow.
Questions to ask your practice before you join
- Which preventive visits are included, and how many per year?
- Which treatments get member pricing, including cosmetic, orthodontic, or specialist care, and how much do I save?
- What does the plan cost per month and per year?
- Is there a discount for adding family members?
- Can I use my plan at your other locations?
- How do renewals, cancellations, and refunds work?
How to join your dentist's plan
Start by asking your dental office whether it offers a membership plan. The front desk can walk you through the plan options and how to sign up, and online signup takes about 1 to 2 minutes from any device. Your benefits start right away, so you can book your preventive visit as soon as you join.
Managing your plan after you join
In your Patient Portal, you can view your payment history, print receipts, update your card, add family members, and turn off auto-renewal. For help with the Patient Portal or billing, Clerri member support is bilingual and available by phone, email, and chat.
Dental membership plan FAQs
What is a dental membership plan?
A dental membership plan is a plan your dental practice offers to its patients. You pay a monthly or yearly fee, your preventive care is included, and you save on other treatment. Across the Clerri platform, plans average about $30 per month or $360 per year, but every practice designs and prices its own plan.
Is a dental membership plan insurance?
No. A dental membership plan is not insurance. It is a plan your dental practice offers to its patients. You pay the practice directly for treatment at member pricing, and your practice designs and prices its own plan.
How do dental savings plans work?
Many "dental savings plans" sold online are discount cards from outside companies. You pay the company a membership fee, get discounted rates at dentists in its network, and pay the dentist directly at the discounted price. A dental membership plan is different: it is your own dentist's plan, you join through the practice, and your preventive care is included in the fee.
Are dental membership plans worth it?
They tend to be worth it for people who see the same practice regularly and want routine care included for one predictable fee. Across the Clerri platform, the average plan costs about $360 a year for cleanings, exams, X-rays, fluoride, and an emergency visit, with average savings of 10% to 25% on other procedures. To decide, compare your practice's plan price with what you would pay that practice for a year of preventive visits.
Can I use my membership plan right away?
Yes. Once you join, your benefits start right away. If your dentist has already recommended treatment, ask the office how member pricing applies once you join. Call your dental office to book your first visit.
Can I cancel my dental membership plan?
Yes. According to Clerri's patient FAQs, you can request a cancellation and a full refund within 30 days of purchase if no plan benefits have been used. After that, refunds depend on your practice and your plan terms (some states have their own refund rules), so check the member terms. You can also turn off auto-renewal in your Patient Portal.
Can I add my family to my plan?
Yes. You can add family members in your Patient Portal and choose a plan for each person. Most plans offer a 5% to 10% discount for adding family members, and when your practice offers one, it is applied automatically at checkout.
