Just as there is a need for health insurance that covers routine physician care and major medical situations, it is also important to secure dental insurance that can help offset the cost of maintaining proper oral health. Finding the ideal dental plan can sometimes take a little detective work if you are to get the level of coverage that is right for your needs. Here are some tips on how to locate potential discount dental plans and how to choose the best one.
One of the first places to look for discount dental plans is with your current health insurance provider. Many health plans today offer dental and vision riders along with the main medical provisions. There is a good chance that adding a dental rider to your existing plan will cost less than purchasing a stand alone plan, and still provide you with excellent coverage.
If your health insurance provider does not offer the option of dental care plans, and then have a talk with your dentist. This will allow you to obtain a list of different plans that are accepted by the office. Along with dental insurance, there is a good chance that your dentist also accepts one or two of the discount dental plans that offer reduced charges for various dental procedures. While not classified as a true dental insurance plan, these discounted dental care packages can save you a great deal of money.
As you consider different discount dental plans, make sure that you look at plans that are structured as a dental HMO as well as a dental PPO. As with all types of HMO coverage, you will have to use a dentist that is part of the network to enjoy the benefits of the coverage. However, if your current dentist is already a provider under the HMO, that will not be a problem. Alternatively, the PPO pays more benefits if you use a provider in the network, but will still provide substantial coverage even if you opt to use a dentist who is not currently part of the PPO network.
With all discount dental plans that you consider, always pay close attention to the coverage connected with routine procedures such as teeth cleaning, fillings, caps and other forms of treatment that you are likely to require. If you have children, it is also a good idea to look closely at the coverage offered for braces and other forms of corrective dental equipment. Making sure the terms related to more routine dental procedures will help to ensure that you get the benefit of the coverage on a regular basis, and not just during an emergency situation.
While you do want the best routine coverage possible with all discount dental plans you consider, don’t neglect the coverage for major dental care. Ideally, you want low deductibles for major procedures such as some form or oral surgery, the fitting of dentures or partial plates, and similar treatments that are likely to be rare but can be extremely expensive. Also, make sure the allowed charges associated with these major dental issues is adequate to cover the cost. Otherwise, you may still be left with a hefty dental bill after the plan has processed the claim and paid according to the terms of the policy.
