If you have had dental care recently, you know how expensive it is. If you do not have dental insurance, you're likely spending hundreds of dollars to pay for needed treatment. If you are in the market for dental insurance, you do have options.
Significance
You might be avoiding needed dental care because of the expense. Regular twice yearly visits to the dental hygienist for teeth cleaning can cost up to $300 per year, as of October 2010. If you need major restorative services, you could be looking at costs up to $25,000 or more, according to the Consumer Guide to Dentistry.
Considerations
Dental insurance does not provide as many benefits as your medical coverage, but it can be less costly per month based on the type of coverage you choose. Dental coverage, like medical insurance, does not pay for strictly cosmetic work and does have limits on services, including cleaning, X-rays, and treatments. Plus, dental insurance might not cover the cost of treating pre-existing conditions, and many have co-pays that you are responsible for.
Indemnity Coverage
Like medical indemnity plans, dental indemnity coverage allows you to choose your own care provider. This is known as fee-for-service coverage and does have treatment limitations and co-payments. You will be charged for the services you consume at a visit with your dentist. Indemnity plans have a yearly dollar limit on the amount of care the plan will cover. Finally, your insurance will cover a set percent of the cost of each procedure, usually between 70 and 80 percent of usual and customary costs. Indemnity plans are the most costly, but they do allow you to choose the dentist you prefer to see, according to the Consumer Guide to Dentistry.
Group indemnity dental coverage can be purchased through your employer if they offer it, or you can buy an individual plan, according to AARPHealthcare.com.
Managed Dental Plans
Just like medical HMOs, dental coverage can also be purchased via managed plans, which are usually known as preferred provider organizations or PPOs. This type of plan limits your choice of dentists but is usually less expensive than indemnity coverage. Capitation is another option in managed dental plans. In this reimbursement model, a specific group of contracted dentists are paid a per member, per month dollar amount to cover your dental care. Another option in managed plans is called a closed plan. If you purchase this type of insurance, you will be limited to using a contracted group of dental facilities and specific providers at those facilities, according to the Consumer Guide to Dentistry.
Discount Programs
If you are interested in discount programs, understand that they are not dental insurance programs per se. Instead, discount plans offer members--after paying an enrollment fee--discounts on a variety of basic dental treatments. For this type of offering to work, you need to find a dentist who participates in the program and offers discounted fees. In addition, you most likely will need to pay monthly membership fees. Finally, read the fine print before your join because some programs do not cover all elective dental services, according to AARPHealthcare.com.
