Highest day-one filling payout: 85%$3,000 annual maximumCoverage starts the 1st of next month
Annual maximum
$3,000
$3,000 maximum resets on 06/24/2027.
Deductible
$50 / person
Annual deductible before plan benefits apply.
Coverage starts
1st of next month
Coverage starts on the first of the month after you enroll.
What the plan pays
Network: DentalGuard Preferred (DGP), roughly 124,000 to 130,000 dentists at 360,000-plus office locations. You pay least in-network. Verify your dentist is contracted for this exact product.
Last checked June 24, 2026Figures illustrative until matched to your state's plan documentView sources
In short
What is Guardian Premier 2.0?
Guardian Premier 2.0 is an individual PPO from The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, sold on the DentalGuard Preferred network. Preventive is 100% and basic work pays 85% from day one with no waiting period. Major work pays 60% in-network (50% out-of-network) after a 12-month wait, implants the same up to a $1,250 lifetime maximum, and child orthodontics for dependents under 19 pays 60% in-network after a 12-month wait, capped at $750 per year and a $1,500 lifetime maximum. The annual maximum is a flat $3,000. Adult orthodontics are not covered.
Why is the 85% day-one basic rate a big deal?
Fillings pay 85% from day one with no waiting period. A new patient with two fillings and a deep cleaning gets most of that bill paid in the first week. If your first year is fillings and cleanings rather than crowns, the plan covers a large share right away. See the glossary for how coinsurance and waiting periods interact.
How does the annual maximum work?
The annual maximum is a flat $3,000. That is the most the plan pays toward covered work in a benefit year, after which you cover the rest until the next year resets. If you expect to cancel and re-enroll, note the 12-month re-enrollment lockout below.
Does it cover braces?
Yes, for dependents under age 19, at 60% in-network (50% out-of-network) after a 12-month wait, capped at $750 per year and a $1,500 lifetime orthodontic maximum on Premier 2.0. Guardian treats clear aligners like Invisalign on the same terms as braces. Adult orthodontics are not covered on any Guardian individual plan.
Best for you if…
You need fillings now. Basic pays 85% from day one with no waiting period, which is unmatched here.
You have a child who may need braces. Dependents under 19 get 60% orthodontics in-network, one of the few plans on this shelf with kids' braces coverage.
You value carrier strength. Guardian holds an A++ AM Best rating, the highest available.
Skip it if…
You need major work soon. Crowns and root canals wait 12 months before the plan pays.
You are an adult who needs braces. Orthodontics are for dependents under 19 only.
You may need to cancel and re-enroll. A 12-month lockout applies after cancellation.
When each benefit turns on
Your coverage begins on a schedule
Your effective date is the first of the month after you enroll, and it is not the same as when the plan pays toward a crown. Here is the countdown.
Day one
Preventive at 100% and basic at 85%. Cleanings and exams are covered in full, and fillings and simple extractions pay 85% from your effective date with no waiting period.
+12 months
Major work and implants begin at 60% in-network; child orthodontics at 60% in-network. The wait can be waived with proof of 12 consecutive months of prior comparable coverage.
+6 months
Teeth whitening turns on. After a 6-month wait, whitening is covered as a per-year allowance, roughly $500 per calendar year; confirm the exact allowance on your plan document.
Fillings this year: what would you actually pay?
Pick the work you might need. We'll show the full cash price, your share after the plan pays, and how much of your $3,000 annual maximum it uses. Prices shown are national examples; your dentist's fees set the actual number.
cash (without dental insurance) $1,800
cash (without dental insurance) $1,600
cash (without dental insurance) $6,000
cash (without dental insurance) $400
You save vs paying cash
$0
what this plan pays so you don't
Plan pays
$0
of $3,000 maximum
You'd pay
$0
incl. $50 deductible
Pick the work you might need to see what this plan saves you.
With basic at 85% from day one, a year of fillings and cleanings is mostly covered, and the $3,000 annual maximum still has room.
Full specs
The rest of the fine print
Network
DentalGuard Preferred (DGP)
Annual maximum
$3,000 (flat)
Deductible
$50 individual · $150 family
Implant lifetime maximum
$1,250
Child orthodontic maximum
$750 first year / $1,500 lifetime (dependents under 19)
Adult orthodontia
Not covered
Vision
Optional add-on
Whitening
Covered after 6-month wait · ~$500/yr allowance
Missing tooth clause
Yes, applies to pre-existing extractions
Effective date
1st of the following month only
Re-enrollment lockout
12 months after cancellation
Carrier financial strength
A++ AM Best · A+ BBB · 160+ years
The annual maximum is a flat $3,000, the most the plan pays toward covered work in a benefit year. Implants cap at $1,250 lifetime; child orthodontics at $750 per year and $1,500 lifetime. Waiting periods on major work can be waived with proof of 12 consecutive months of prior comparable coverage. Confirm all figures on your state's plan document.
Good to know
The fine print that changes the bill
Exact wording varies by state. Read your own plan's exclusions section to confirm.
Missing tooth clause
Teeth that were missing before your effective date are not covered for replacement during the first period of coverage. This shapes any implant or bridge plan.
12-month major wait
Crowns, root canals, oral surgery, implants and child orthodontics all wait 12 months. The wait can be waived with proof of 12 months of prior comparable coverage.
Re-enrollment lockout
After you cancel, a 12-month wait applies before you can re-enroll. Do not cancel unless you have a replacement plan in place.
Crown restriction on some tiers
On some plan tiers, crowns are only covered when the tooth cannot be restored with a filling. Review the fine print before planning a crown.
Pull the official plan document for your state and match the coverage, waits and exclusions on this page.
Confirm your dentist's network status for the DentalGuard Preferred individual network. Check the directory and call the office to confirm.
Confirm the orthodontic and implant lifetime maximums. On Premier 2.0 implants cap at $1,250 lifetime and child orthodontics at $750 per year and $1,500 lifetime; the ortho caps, not the $3,000 annual maximum, set the ceiling for a child's braces.
Note the effective date and the lockout. Coverage starts the first of the next month, and a 12-month re-enrollment lockout applies after cancellation.
Does Guardian Premier 2.0 cover braces for adults?
No. Orthodontic coverage applies only to dependents under age 19, at 60% in-network (50% out-of-network) after a 12-month waiting period, capped at $750 per year and a $1,500 lifetime maximum on Premier 2.0. Adult orthodontics are not covered on any Guardian individual plan. Compare ortho plans
Is Invisalign covered?
For dependents under 19, yes. Guardian treats clear aligners as orthodontics, covered on the same 60% in-network rate and 12-month wait as braces, subject to the $750 annual and $1,500 lifetime maximum on Premier 2.0. Adult Invisalign is not covered.
What is the waiting period on Guardian Premier 2.0?
Preventive and basic care have no waiting period; basic pays 85% from day one. Major work, implants and child orthodontics wait 12 months, paid at 60% in-network (50% out-of-network). The major wait can be waived with proof of 12 consecutive months of prior comparable coverage.
Does it cover implants?
Yes, at 60% in-network (50% out-of-network) after a 12-month wait, subject to a $1,250 lifetime maximum and the missing tooth clause. If implants are your priority, the higher-cap implant plans on the shelf are Humana Extend 5000 and Mutual of Omaha Dental Preferred. Compare implant plans
Why is the 85% day-one basic rate a big deal?
Fillings pay 85% from day one with no waiting period. If your first year is fillings and deep cleanings rather than crowns, you get a large share of the bill covered right away, instead of waiting six or twelve months as some plans require.
How much does Guardian Premier 2.0 cost per month?
Premier 2.0 runs about $70 per month. The exact figure depends on your state, ZIP, and age, so confirm your area-specific price on Guardian's official site.
Guardian Premier 2.0 vs Humana Extend 5000?
Guardian pays 85% of basic from day one and is one of the few plans here that cover child orthodontics, with a flat $3,000 maximum, though major work waits 12 months. Humana Extend 5000 carries a $5,000 maximum, covers implants, and bundles vision, but charges a higher premium. The right pick depends on whether you need fast basic and ortho, or a bigger maximum with implants. See the Humana breakdown
Is this an endorsement?
No. This is a breakdown and analysis, not endorsement. No carrier pays for placement.
Transparency
Sources & verification status
Coverage figures were checked against Guardian's official plan documents and CoverCapy's plan database on June 24, 2026. Exact terms still vary by state, ZIP, and effective date, so confirm your own plan document. Full provenance lives here.
2026-06-24Verified against Guardian's Advantage Dental Plans product page and the Individual Coverage Policies Benefit Disclosures PDF (Last Updated 6/2026, forms IP-DEN-16/20/25): Premier 2.0 premium $67.89/mo, flat $3,000 annual maximum, basic 85%/75% day one, major 60%/50% after 12 months, implants 60% to a $1,250 lifetime max, child orthodontics 60%/50% capped at $750/yr and $1,500 lifetime, whitening 50%/50% after a 6-month wait, missing tooth clause.
2026-06-12Published editorial review of Guardian Premier 2.0.
NotePremium (Guardian publishes $67.89/mo, shown rounded as ~$70) and tier availability are confirmed on Guardian's page but vary by state, age, and ZIP; plan documents are the final arbiter of coverage.
CoverCapy is an independent educational marketplace. We are not an insurer, carrier, dentist, tax adviser or medical provider. Nothing here confirms a treatment is covered. Coverage depends on your exact policy, state, ZIP, effective date, network, exclusions, limitations and remaining benefits, all of which must be verified.
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Complete your application directly on Guardian's official website for your state.
