A dental health maintenance organization (HMO or DHMO) plan is a type of managed care organization. Under HMO dental plans, contracted dentists agree to provide specific types of treatment to HMO members at no charge for a fixed amount per enrolled family or individual.

A patient co-payment may be required for some types of treatment and charges for other types of treatment may not be covered at all. Some patients may experience difficulty scheduling timely appointments if contracted dentists are busy, or if a plan's contracted dentists are not close by a patient.

A preferred provider organization (PPO) is also a type of managed care organization that contracts with an insurance company to provide dental care to insured persons at discounted fees.

Under a PPO dental plan, you must select a dentist from a network or list of providers, who have contractually agreed to discount their fees. If you decide to see a dentist not listed in the plan, your benefits may be reduced or even eliminated.