Good dental hygiene is an important part of overall good health for you and your family, but making the twice-annual recommended dentist visits can be expensive for families. Dental insurance can make it easier for your family to afford the dental care you need to stay healthy.
The Facts
Like all insurance, dental insurance helps cover the costs of treatment and care in exchange for monthly or annual premium payments. Unlike other insurance, which tends to focus on worst-case scenarios, dental insurance is most frequently used for preventive care, like regular cleanings, though it can also be used for treatments, such as root canals and orthodontia. Dental insurance is usually a separate insurance policy, but sometimes it can be a rider or addition to a medical insurance policy.
Types
There are three basic types of insurance plans. In indemnity plans, patients pay a percentage of the cost of dental care--usually between 20 and 50 percent, according to the California Dental Association--and the insurance provider pays the rest of the amount due directly to the dentist. With capitation plans, participating dentists receive a monthly payment from an insurance company based on the total number of patients they see rather than on the specific treatments they provide, and you pay a premium plus a fixed co-pay at your dentist visits. Direct reimbursement plans are usually run through an employer or other corporate provider, and require you to pay up front for your dental expenses and submit paperwork to be reimbursed for their costs.
Considerations
There are several factors you should take into account when you're shopping for dental insurance, recommends the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner. Take a look at your dental history--if it's been a long time since your last dentist visit, you might want insurance that provides coverage for potential problems as well as preventive care. If your children are school-age, you might want to consider dental insurance that covers orthodontia. Compare the costs of dental visits with and without insurance--in some cases, it may be less expensive to pay for dental care on an as-needed basis.
Benefits
Dental insurance significantly reduces the cost of dental care for families and individuals, cutting dental care costs by as much as $100 billion just during the 1980s, according to the California Dental Association. Since it covers preventive treatments, dental insurance also contributes to a significant drop in dental health problems--it's so effective at preventing dental trouble that half of school-age children today have never had a cavity, according to the California Dental Association.
Warning
When you're purchasing dental insurance, be sure you check with your insurance provider about pre-existing conditions that might affect your family's coverage--for instance, if your child has braces already, your dental insurance might not pay for his orthodontia. Make sure, too, that you choose insurance that your dentist accepts, and keep in mind that dentists in the same practice may not accept the same insurance plans.
