Dental Plans

Dental Insurance

At a Glance
People buy dental insurance for a variety of reasons. Here are three of the most common reasons.

To Pay For Costly Care. Dental care can be a simple cleaning and x-rays. Or, it can involve costly care from orthodontics (braces) to crowns and oral surgery. Dental insurance generally pays all or a percentage of the charges related to your dental care.

To Maintain A Healthy Mouth. Studies show that regular dental check-ups and cleanings help maintain a healthy mouth. That's why most insurance plans pay 100% for check-ups every six (6) months. Some will even cover (pay for) a check-up immediately after you are approved for coverage.

To Protect Their Children. From cavities to braces, younger family members will benefit from regular professional dental care. Dental insurance can be a very affordable way to protect against the cost of regular check-ups. You plan may even pay for more costly care -- even braces.

Discount Plans
A discount dental plan is a lower cost alternative to a dental insurance plan. Discount dental plans are designed for individuals, families and groups who want to save money on dental care, but do not want the highly monthly cost of an insurance plan.

Under a discount plan, participating dental care providers agree to accept a discounted fee from plan members as payment-in-full for services performed. As a plan member, you simply show your membership card when visiting any participating plan provider to receive dental services at discounted fees.

Note: Discount dental plans ARE NOT insurance plans, but discount programs. Refer to the Insurance Plans portion of this Buyer's Guide for information on dental insurance plans.

Why Join a Discount Dental Plan?
Joining a discount dental plan will allow you to save money on quality dental care. Specific benefits will differ from plan to plan, but some of the typical dental plan benefits include:

Savings of 10% to 60% on most dental procedures
Extensive networks of participating providers (be sure to check availability in your geographic area before enrolling)
Online enrollment and quick plan activation
Easy-to-use search tools and plan comparison charts
Toll free Customer Service support
No claim forms to submit
Discounts on dental specialties
No health restrictions or pre-existing condition limitations

Buying a Discount Dental Plan
It's important that you make an informed decision before enrolling in a dental discount plan. Here are the key considerations when selecting a plan:

Participating Providers. Are there sufficient participating providers in your geographic area? Be sure to search for local providers on the plan's website before enrolling.
Compare monthly cost and discounts. Plans differ in their monthly cost and discounts. Be sure to compare from available plans to determine the one that's the best match to your specific needs and monthly budget.

Using the Plan
When you've decided on a dental discount plan, here's the normal process for enrolling in, and using your plan:

Enroll in the plan. Most plans allow you to enroll online or through a toll free number.

Establish your payment plan. You generally pay your monthly fee through credit card or monthly bank draft (EFT). Once you establish your payment plan, it will generally continue until you stop or change the payment plan.

After you've enrolled, you will receive your Membership Package, including your member's discount card. Depending on your plan, you will either receive this package through the mail, or through the website. Most plans will be activated within one or two days following your enrollment.

Using your Discount Dental Plan
Here's how to use your discount dental plan when you need dental services:

Use your plan's website to find a participating dental care provider in your area and make an appointment. Be sure to mention the dental plan listed on your membership care when contacting the participating provider.

Present your membership card when you arrive to your appointment to ensure that you are charged discounted fees according to your dental plan. Payment for services performed is due at the time of service; there are no claim forms to submit.

In Summary
But, the real question most people ask is" Will I benefit by buying dental insurance?" The brief answer: most likely.

There are many forms of insurance. Some, like car insurance, only provide a benefit to the few people who have a costly accident. Some, like life insurance, typically don't provide a benefit for many years. Some, like medical or health insurance, provide immediate benefits, but can be very costly.

Dental insurance is rather unique. First, its low cost makes it highly affordable for individuals and families. Second, because dental insurance encourages and generally pays for regular check-ups, many people who purchase protection start to benefit immediately.

Finally, the price of maintaining a healthy mouth can cost hundreds ... even thousands of dollars. Should you ever need costly care, from filings and crowns to periodontics and orthodontics, your dental insurance will be there to provide benefits when needed.

So, if you buy dental insurance, you will probably use it. And, like millions of Americans who have protection, you'll probably be glad you did.

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