Is Manulife Dental Insurance Worth It?: Review 2024

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Sunny Yadav updated on 26 September 2023

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While Canada provides its residents with provincial healthcare, dental health services are not well covered resulting in high out-of-pocket expenses. That's where having a good dental insurance plan becomes critical.

Among the many providers out there is the popular Manulife Dental Insurance which offers comprehensive coverage for preventive care, basic services, and major dental procedures. But is it right for you?

To help you, we take you through our review of Manulife dental insurance, including its coverage, pros, cons, and more. You can use our comparator to compare Manulife plans with other dental insurances and get free personalized quotes to find the best policy for you.

Manulife Dental Insurance: 5 Key Takeaways

  1. Manulife offers a diverse range of dental insurance plans.
  2. Coverage includes preventive care, basic services, and major procedures.
  3. You have the flexibility to customize your dental insurance plan.
  4. Some exclusions are cosmetic procedures, pre-existing conditions, and routine maintenance.
  5. Manulife dental insurance reviews online suggest satisfaction with the coverage.

Our 2024 review of Manulife dental insurance

Manulife offers a variety of dental insurance plans in Canada to individuals and families. The plans vary in terms of coverage, premiums, and deductibles. Some of the Manulife health and dental insurance plans include Flexcare, Flexcare Plus, Flexcare Saver, and more.

In addition to these plans, Manulife also offers plans for specific groups of people, such as students, seniors, and people with disabilities. An online portal offers easy access to your benefit information and to submit claims.

Unlike many other insurers, Manulife gives you the option to choose dental-only, medication-only, or a combination plan. There is also the added feature of earning rewards.

So Manulife could be the right choice for you if you're looking for a comprehensive health and dental insurance plan or even if you're looking for just a dental plan with extensive coverage customized for all your specific needs. However, if you're looking for coverage for cosmetic procedures and routine care, Manulife may not be the best choice for you.

If you want to be sure Manulife is the right choice for you, you can compare it with health and dental insurance plans from Canada's best insurers right here using our comparator below. You can get free dental insurance quotes in seconds based on your unique needs.

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Pros of Manulife dental insurance

  • Additional coverage for those over 65
  • 24/7 access to healthcare professionals
  • Save on premiums with Manulife Vitality
  • Submit claims electronically

Cons of Manulife dental insurance

  • Long wait times and difficulty getting in touch with a representative
  • Delays in processing claims or denials of claims

What does Manulife dental insurance cover?

The specific dental insurance coverage that Manulife offers will vary depending on the plan you choose — we will discuss them in detail. However, some of the common dental services that are covered by Manulife's dental insurance plans include:

  • Preventive care: This includes services such as teeth cleanings, dental exams, and fluoride treatments commonly not covered by provincial programs like the Ontario health insurance plan.
  • Basic services: This includes services such as fillings, crowns, and root canals.
  • Major procedures: This includes services such as dental implants, orthodontics, and wisdom teeth removal.

The amount of coverage that Manulife dental insurance offers for each service will also vary depending on the plan. In general, preventive care is covered at 100%, while basic services are covered at a percentage of the cost, such as 80% or 50%. Major procedures are typically covered at a lower percentage of the cost, such as 50% or 30%.

You can check out this pdf for more information on the dental cover offered by Manulife.

Good to know

It is important to remember that you must be covered by your provincial healthcare plan like the OHIP or MSP or Alberta Health Care based on your location, before getting a private health and dental insurance plan in Canada.

What does Manulife dental insurance not cover?

Manulife dental insurance has a few exclusions. Some of the common services or procedures that are not covered include:

  • Cosmetic procedures: This includes procedures that are done for purely aesthetic reasons, such as teeth whitening and veneers.
  • Pre-existing conditions: Conditions that you had before you started the plan.
  • Routine maintenance: All services that are done on a regular basis, such as teeth cleanings and fluoride treatments.
  • Services that are not medically necessary: This includes services that are not considered to be essential for your oral health, such as tooth whitening and gum grafting.
  • Services that are provided by a non-participating dentist: This includes services that are provided by a dentist who is not part of the Manulife network.

What does Manulife dental insurance cost?

Considering that the person is covered by a provincial/territorial government health care plan like the Medical Services Plan, a 27-year-old British Columbian resident (male) can expect to pay the following amount for Manulife’s Flexcare plans:

  • ComboPlus™ Enhanced Plan: $100/month.
  • ComboPlus™ Basic Plan: $ 85/month.
  • ComboPlus™ Starter Plan: $75/month.

Here is a quick roundup of their coverage:

Insurance PlanMedical Questionnaire Required?Drugs CoverageDental CoverageVision CoverageTravel Coverage
ComboPlus™ Enhanced Plan
90% of first $2,222
100% of next $8,000 (up to $10,000 per year)
100% of first $500
60% of next $700 (up to $920 per year)
$250 every 2 years$5 million emergency health coverage for first 9 days of each trip
ComboPlus™ Starter Plan
70% of first $750 (up to $525 per year)70% of first $575 (up to $400 per year)$150 every 2 years$5 million emergency health coverage for first 9 days of each trip
ComboPlus™ Basic Plan
70% of first $750
90% of next $4,972 (up to $5,000 per year)
80% of first $400
50% of next $860 (up to $750 per year)
$250 every 2 years$5 million emergency health coverage for first 9 days of each trip
Manulife dental insurance cost

Under the same category, there are eight other plans, two of which are dental plans with dental vision and travel coverage:

  • DentalPlus™ Enhanced Plan ($85-$100 per month): Year 1: 70% of the first $1,200 (up to $840 every year). Year 2+: 100% of the first $500 and 60% of the next $700 (up to $920 every year).
  • DentalPlus™ Basic Plan ($70-$80 per month): Year 1: 50% of the first $1,150 (up to $575 every year). Year 2+: 80% of the first $400 and 50% of the next $860 (up to $750 every year).

We recommend you compare Manulife dental insurance prices with other plans before deciding if it's the right choice for you. You can do it right here using our comparator below which gives you free personalized quotes in seconds.

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What are the Manulife health and dental insurance plans?

Manulife health and dental plans have three categories, with each having its sub-types. Here are the broader plan types:

  1. Manulife Flexcare health and dental insurance
  2. Manulife’s FollowMe health & dental insurance
  3. Manulife’s Health & Dental Guaranteed Issue Enhanced Insurance

Let’s now dig deep into each plan and find out what they offer — and if they meet your needs and expectations.

What is Manulife Flexcare Health and Dental Insurance?

Manulife’s Flexcare plan offers comprehensive dental coverage, including preventive care, basic services, and major procedures. If you lack coverage from your employer or if your employer's group plan doesn't offer the coverage options that align with your preferences, Flexcare is your solution.

Flexcare Health and Dental Insurance empowers you to customize your insurance plan according to your needs. With a selection of seven distinct plans at your disposal, it's as straightforward as selecting the ideal dental and prescription drug plan that suits both your requirements and budget.

These plans encompass:

  • Prescription drugs
  • Dental services
  • A combination of prescription drugs and dental services, accompanied by vision care and extended health care coverage

Here are more details about Manulife’s different Flexcare plans:

Flexcare PlansPrescription DrugsDentalVision CareExtended Health Care
DrugPlus Basic
$5,000 $250/2 years$250,000 Lifetime Maximum
DrugPlus Enhanced
$10,000 $250/2 years$250,000 Lifetime Maximum
DentalPlus Basic
Year 1: $575/year
Year 2: $750/year
$250/2 years$250,000 Lifetime Maximum
DentalPlus Enhanced
Year 1: $840/year
Year 2: $920/year
$250/2 years$250,000 Lifetime Maximum
ComboPlus Starter
$525$400$150/2 years$250,000 Lifetime Maximum
ComboPlus Basic
$5,000$750$250/2 years$250,000 Lifetime Maximum
ComboPlus Enhanced
$10,000$920$250/2 years$250,000 Lifetime Maximum
Dental insurance Manulife: Flexcare plans

Flexcare plans come with these optional add-ons:

  • Manulife Vitality
  • Hospital
  • Additional vision care
  • Travel
  • Accidental death and dismemberment
  • Catastrophic

What is Manulife Health & Dental Guaranteed Issue Enhanced Insurance?

This insurance covers prescription drugs with a maximum of $2,500 in annual paid expenses. It encompasses a $500 maximum for specific items each year, such as prescription birth control drugs, glucose sensors, oral erectile dysfunction drugs, smoking cessation drugs and aids (up to a lifetime maximum of $300), medical marijuana, intra-uterine devices (IUDs) and diaphragms, anti-obesity drugs, and vaccines.

The dental care component covers a wide range of services, including exams, cleanings, fillings, and oral surgery. It further extends to registered specialists and therapists, such as acupuncturists, chiropractors, massage therapists, and more.

  • For vision care needs, Manulife provides coverage for prescription lenses, frames, contact lenses, and laser eye surgery, up to a maximum of $200 every two years
  • Nursing, mental health, and therapy services
  • In cases of emergencies, unlimited ground and air ambulance coverage
  • Essential medical equipment like canes, walkers, and crutches

To ensure your peace of mind during travel, Manulife’s emergency medical travel insurance offers coverage up to $5 million per person, with a 10-day limit per trip, requiring a 9-month stability period and a $200 deductible per claim.

What is Manulife FollowMe Health & Dental Insurance?

FollowMe Health and Dental Insurance is available to you regardless of your age, and you can customize this Manulife dental insurance to suit your needs for as long as you require it. You can enjoy the peace of mind that comes with this health insurance that stays with you wherever your journey leads.

Plus, there's no need to answer medical questions when you apply, as your coverage is guaranteed, provided you apply and pay your first premium within 90 days of your employee benefits ending.

CoverageBasicEnhancedEnhanced PlusPremiere
Prescription drugs
$500/year$1,300/year$1,300/year$2,600/year
Dental
Year 1: $700/year
Year 2: $850/year
Year 3+: $1,000/year
Year 1: $800/year
Year 2: $1,000/year
Year 3+: $1,500/year
Vision care
$150/every 2 benefit years$200/every 2 benefit years$200/every 2 benefit years$300/every 2 benefit years
Registered specialists and therapists†
$15/visit, up to 20 visits/specialist, per anniversary year$600 combined, per anniversary year$600 combined, per anniversary year$650 combined, per anniversary year
Manulife insurance dental: FollowMe plans

Good to know

Are dental implants covered by Manulife dental insurance?

Dental implants are not typically covered by health insurance in Canada, including Manulife. However, some private dental plans may offer coverage for dental implants, but the extent of coverage will vary depending on the plan.

You can find plans that cover dental implants right here using our comparator. All you need to do is give basic details of what you want and voila you get free quotes from multiple insurers in no time.

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How to contact Manulife dental insurance?

There are many ways to reach out, such as the Manulife dental insurance phone number. For all generic queries related to dental insurance, you can call 1-844-378-3869. Or, you can email at [email protected].

  • For plan purchases at the following times, call 1-877-268-3763.
  • If you require support for an existing plan, call 1-800-268-3763.
  • To explore and learn more about Manulife Vitality, call 1-888-626-8843.

Manulife dental insurance reviews from people on the internet are largely positive citing positive customer service and satisfaction with coverage. The company has a good reputation for providing comprehensive coverage at competitive premiums and is a good option.

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Sunny Yadav Copywriter
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Sunny has over six years of experience curating engaging content spanning across industries. Specifically in finance, his expertise is insurance reviews and lending and investment topics.