<prompt> Human: After years of not visiting the dentist I now need two teeth pulled and a root canal two crowns. oy ve. I expect it could cost 4-5,000 if paid out of pocket, but it seems like I could pay a couple hundred dollars in dental insurance and have it partially covered if I wait about 1 month for insurance to kick in. Am I reading that right? I am just confused by the options, and Id be buying the dental insurance individually. Anyone who has stories to relate, Id appreciate the help. If anyone agrees insurance is the way to go and has good insurance companies to recommend, Id appreciate that too.  <response>: You will need to carefully look at how long you have to wait for certain types of procedures, coverage for pre-existing conditions, and benefit amounts. The benefit of having dental insurance is likely not as much as you think. 