Understanding Dental Insurance More

It is becoming more and more common these days for people to combine their dental/vision insurance, as is a very important element when it comes to properly and effectively maintaining the health of one's eyes and teeth. With prices steadily rising on various dental health care services on both major and minor procedures, it would be wise for a person to purchase insurance which greatly helps in reducing out of pocket expenses that come from your dental and vision providers.  Many plans are available offering dental and vision coverage for one premium.  Some offer packages that have already been put together and others may allow you to choose which dental and vision plans you would like to complete your package.

Dental insurance, often referred to as a dental health insurance plan, is becoming more popular among those who do not have access to an employer group dental plan. Many insurance companies are now offering individual dental insurance through associations and organizations. This is great for people that are self-employed, retired, attending college, or have lost their jobs. A dental health plan is very important for those who make few and/or frequent trips to the dentist. A good bit of dental plans pay 100% of your twice a year cleaning and evaluation while paying up to 80% for filling and major procedures. If you normally only go for cleanings, then it may be a good idea to sit down and compare your premiums and coverage verses the amount you would pay without insurance.  However, sometimes it's better to be safe than sorry.
Dental services such as cleanings, fillings, crowns, periodontics, etc... can become very costly without dental insurance. Usually, for a monthly premium, most dental services are covered by dental insurance in part or sometimes all of the cost. The best dental insurance for you depends on several factors. Below are just a few of the questions you need to ask yourself when looking for dental insurance.

•    What network is your dentist in?
•    How much will the services you need cost?
•    How often do you go to the dentist?

Dental plans are created with a variety of designs and coverage plans to effectively meet the needs of each person. Because of this, if you are planning to purchase a dental plan, you need to make comparisons on different insurances offered by certain insurance providers and choose the one that best meets your oral and vision health care needs as well as your budget. It is important to be familiar with the different types of insurance available:

•    HMO Plan – These plans are the most restrictive.  You must choose from a list of network providers and receive discounts on covered procedures.    

•    PPO Plan – Less restrictive than HMO plan.  Allows you to choose from a list of dentists or dental clinics available in the network which give discounts on covered dental procedures.

•    Dental Indemnity Insurance – (also known as traditional dental insurance) Least restrictive plan.  It allows you  the freedom to visit the dentist of your choice.  You pay a percentage of the usual, customary and reasonable cost (UCR) of the covered dental services you receive.

•    Discount Dental Plan – offers discounts on a list of dental procedures with-in a network of providers.

About the Author

Richard A. Manfredi has written about www.dentalforeveryone.com . We offer quality dental insurance plans online, including individual dental insurance, full coverage dental insurance and affordable dental plan options for students.