Dental Plans

Dental Plans:

Dental Insurance:

Dental insurance can be an effective way to prevent damage to your teeth and gums. But when determining what dental insurance plan would fit you best, it is important not to just look for cheap and affordable dental insurance. Besides cost, you want to consider other factors before choosing your next dental insurance plan.

Individual Dental Insurance is a type of insurance wherein an individual buys an individual dental insurance plan from an insurance company by paying a monthly or annual premium. If during the insurance coverage period, the individual incurs costs on dental treatment, then the insurance company reimburses that costs to the individual.

When considering dental plan options, the following factors differentiate one plan from another:

1. The type of third parties responsible for funding and administration of the plan.
2. The alternatives offered for selecting a dentist.
3. The structure used to compensate the dentist for services provided.

Types of Dental Plans:

• PPO
• DHMO
• Discount

Below is a brief description of each Dental Plan:

• PPO dental plans function very similar to PPO health plans. These will have an annual deductible, an annual maximum, benefit percentage for each of the three levels (preventative, basic and major) and a network of doctors. Some plans will offer orthodontics coverage. The advantages of these plans are in-network discounts, out-of-network coverage and a higher benefit level for preventative services. The disadvantages are meeting a new deductible each year, being subject to a possible waiting period for major coverage, being limited by an annual maximum and they can be expensive.

• DMHO plans are similar to the old HMO health plans that are being phased out. These plans will have an annual deductible and usually a fee for service schedule and a network of doctors. The advantages are good benefit for all procedures, especially preventative and the premiums are reasonable. The disadvantages are usually a small network, no out-of-network coverage and having to select a primary care dentist who usually has to refer you to a specialist.

• Discount plans aren’t insurance and simply offer a discount if you use a network dentist. The advantages of these plans are no deductibles, no waiting periods, no annual maximums and are very inexpensive. You simply go to a network dentist and he provides the service at a set fee or discount percentage. Although you pay a discounted fee for most every procedure, some plans offer free exams and free bitewing x-rays.