Dental insurance in Wilmington, NC
Know what your plan covers before you sit down
Thrive Family Dental is in-network with nine dental PPO plans and files claims for out-of-network patients. Send us your plan details, and our team will check your benefits and tell you what you’ll owe before you book.
Written by Thrive Family Dental. Medically reviewed by Dr. Ben Friberg, DDS, Dentist and Owner. Last updated October 1, 2026.
Do you take my insurance?
Our team verifies your coverage directly with your insurance company and gets back to you with what your plan pays, what it doesn’t, and what you can expect to owe. For plans we don’t have a contract with, we still file the claim for you.
Checking takes a minute and doesn’t commit you to an appointment.
What to have in front of you
- The name of your insurance company
- Your member or subscriber ID
- The plan holder’s date of birth
- The employer or group name, if your card shows it
Don’t have your card handy? Call (910) 240-4797 and we’ll work from what you know.
In-network dental insurance plans we accept
Thrive Family Dental is in-network with AlwaysCare/Unum, Careington, Cigna DPPO, Equitable, Humana PPO, Lincoln Financial Group, MetLife PDP Plus, Mutual of Omaha Group Plans, and Renaissance.
We also file out-of-network claims for Humana, Cigna (non-DPPO), MetLife (non-PDP Plus), Careington Dental Umbrella, and most other PPO plans.
What if you’re out of network?
You can still get care at Thrive Family Dental, and we’ll still file your claim. Out-of-network describes the contract between your insurer and the dental office, not whether your benefits apply. Many dental plans pay toward care at any licensed dentist; what usually changes is the reimbursement rate and whether the payment goes to the office or back to you.
At our office:
- We submit the claim to your insurance company
- We give you a written estimate of your portion before treatment
- Your plan pays according to its out-of-network schedule
Because reimbursement rates differ from plan to plan, we check yours before your appointment rather than after. Call (910) 240-4797 if you want your specific plan looked at first.
What our team does with your insurance
Insurance paperwork is our job, not yours. Before and after your appointment, we:
- Verify your benefits before you come in
- File your claims, in-network or out-of-network
- Break down what your plan covers in plain language
- Estimate your out-of-pocket portion in writing
- Follow up with your insurer when a claim stalls
If your insurer denies or underpays a claim, call (910) 240-4797 and we’ll look at it with you.
What if I don’t have insurance?
You have three ways to get care at Thrive Family Dental without a dental plan, and none of them make you wait for open enrollment.
The Thrive Health Club membership plan
You buy our in-house membership plan straight from the practice. It covers two cleanings a year, exams, and x-rays, and takes up to 10% off other treatment, with no deductible, no annual maximum, and no claim forms.
Plans run $28 a month for children, $45 a month for adults, and $65 a month for patients in periodontal maintenance, with family discounts when you enroll the household. Savings start the day you join.
See what the membership plan includes
The $169 new patient special
New patients without dental coverage can start with a complete exam, a full set of x-rays, and a professional cleaning for $169. If you need a deep cleaning instead, part of that fee goes toward your treatment. Details on our new patients page.
Financing for larger treatment
Four financing partners let you spread larger treatment over monthly payments. We’ll walk you through what you qualify for before you commit to anything.
How much will my visit cost?
Once Dr. Friberg has examined you and recommended treatment, our team prepares a written estimate showing the full fee, what your plan should pay, and what’s left for you.
That estimate accounts for:
- Your deductible, if you haven’t met it yet
- The percentage your plan covers for that category of treatment
- How much of your annual maximum you’ve already used
- Any waiting period your plan applies to that service
Insurance estimates are an insurer’s projection, not a guarantee. The final amount depends on how your plan processes the claim.
Why doesn’t my plan cover everything?
Dental insurance is a benefit with a spending cap, not full coverage. Most plans sort treatment into preventive, basic, and major categories and pay a different percentage for each, up to an annual limit your employer or the plan sets. Four terms explain most surprise bills:
Annual maximum
The most your plan will pay in a benefit year. Once you reach it, you cover the rest. Most annual maximums reset each January, and unused benefits usually don’t roll over.
Deductible
The amount you pay yourself before your plan starts paying. Many plans waive it for cleanings and exams.
Coinsurance
The share of the bill your plan pays for a given service, written as a percentage. The rest is your portion.
Waiting period
A stretch of time after your plan starts before certain treatment becomes eligible. Waiting periods most often apply to crowns, bridges, and other major work.
Ask us to check all four on your plan before you schedule treatment. One call to (910) 240-4797 covers it, and the answers often change what you decide to do first.
Use your benefits before they reset
Most dental plans reset on January 1 and don’t carry unused benefits forward. If you have treatment pending and money left on your annual maximum, scheduling part of it before the year ends lets you use two annual maximums instead of one.
Call us in the fall, and we’ll check your remaining balance and sequence larger work, like dental implants or crowns, across December and January when it saves you money.
Nervous about the cost conversation?
Say so. Money is the reason a lot of people put off the dentist, and telling us changes what we recommend.
Give our team a budget, and we’ll sequence treatment around it: what to handle first, what can wait a few months, and the price of each.
¿Puedo usar mi seguro dental si hablo español?
Sí. Llame a Thrive Family Dental al (910) 240-4797 y le atendemos en español: verificamos su seguro dental, le explicamos qué cubre su plan y cuánto le tocaría pagar, y presentamos el reclamo por usted aunque su plan esté fuera de la red.
Dental insurance FAQs
Do you accept my dental insurance?
Thrive Family Dental is in-network with nine PPO plans, including Cigna DPPO, Humana PPO, and MetLife PDP Plus, and files claims for out-of-network plans as well. Submit your plan details through our insurance form or call (910) 240-4797, and our team will verify your coverage and tell you what your plan pays before you book.
Do you file insurance claims for out-of-network patients?
Yes, and you don’t submit paperwork yourself. Your reimbursement rate depends on your plan’s out-of-network schedule, which we check before your appointment.
Can I see a dentist at Thrive Family Dental without insurance?
Yes. Patients without dental coverage can use the Thrive Health Club membership plan, third-party financing, or the $169 new patient special. Call (910) 240-4797 and we’ll go through the options and what each one costs.
Is the in-house membership plan the same as dental insurance?
No. You buy a membership plan from the dental office itself, and it starts working the day you join, with no deductible and no yearly cap on benefits. Dental insurance is a policy from an insurance company that pays a share of your treatment up to an annual maximum. Our blog explains how the Health Club works.
Do dental benefits expire?
Most dental plans reset on January 1 and don’t carry unused benefits forward. Ask Thrive Family Dental to check your remaining annual maximum before the year closes if you have treatment pending.
Will you tell me what I owe before treatment?
Yes. Thrive Family Dental gives you a written estimate showing the fee, the expected insurance payment, and your portion before treatment begins. Insurance estimates reflect what your plan should pay, and the final figure depends on how your insurer processes the claim.
Do you offer payment plans?
Yes, through four financing partners. Our team will explain the terms and what you qualify for before you agree to anything. Call (910) 240-4797 or see our payment options page.
Does dental insurance cover implants, veneers, or Invisalign?
It depends on the plan. Many plans pay part of implant or Invisalign treatment up to the annual maximum, and most exclude veneers as cosmetic. We check your specific plan before you decide, and Thrive Health Club members save up to 10% on treatment insurance won’t cover.
Can I use my insurance and the membership plan together?
Most members use one or the other. We built the Thrive Health Club for patients without dental insurance. If you have insurance and want to compare, call (910) 240-4797 and our team will run both numbers for the treatment you need.
Check your dental benefits with a Wilmington dentist
Find out what your plan covers before you’re in the chair.
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Se habla Español. ¿Prefieres español? Llámanos al (910) 240-4797 y con gusto te atendemos.
8115 Market St.
Suite 204
Wilmington, NC 28411
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Monday–Thursday: 8am–4pm
Friday: By Appointment
