Buy dental insurance or self-insure (go naked) if you're self-employed?

Dental insurance and uninsured dental care are both more reasonable that medical care, so I don’t think either choice would be a disaster.

That said, $400 a year isn’t much. I’d keep it. Are you getting regular check ups and cleanings? Even if the only dental care you get is two cleanings, that plus the safety net is a decent deal for what you are paying. I had a root canal this month and it was about a grand so far. I only paid $200 so far.

Yes I get two checks ups and cleanings a year.

Don't. A couple cleanings a year wouldn't come to $400. And "expensive" dental work is usually just a few thousand dollars, which you can pay off in monthly installments. That way you can pay a monthly fee for service you actually GOT.

My employer (Federal government) never offered dental insurance (except as a self-paid add-on or as part of medical insurance, but with no employer contribution), so I've always purchased my own. Currently I have a Delta Dental HMO plan that's around $15/mo. Co-pays are pretty reasonable.