If you were to call an insurance agent and ask about the savings on dental insurance plans today, they would probably tell you to save your money and get a discount dental plan. With all the limitations, deductibles, waiting periods and exclusions; a good discount dental plan can often leave more money in your pocketbook.
Discount dental services are not dental insurance. They are services provided to patients to make dental care much more feasible and affordable. Because they are not insurance plans, everyone is accepted, there are no referrals required to see a specialist, there are no waiting periods, no limits on use, no administrative forms to complete and the plans cover everyone in the household related or not.
Can a dental plan save you more than an insurance plan?
Dental insurance policies carry a monthly premium that can be as much as $30 per month for an individual and $100 or more a month for a family plan. In comparison, a discount dental plan typically has a low monthly fee of less than $20 for the entire household. With a dental insurance plan there is often a deductible that must be met. There are no deductibles with a discount dental plan. As soon as the client enrolls in a discount plan they are eligible for immediate discounted fees at the time work is completed. Many insurance plans require a waiting period of several months before you can use the plan.
With dental insurance there is a maximum limit covered annually per individual or family. The average cost covered with most plans is a maximum of $300 to $1500 per year. The patient is responsible for any fees over that amount. Braces alone cost upwards of $4,000 to $5000, just to give you an idea. And worst yet, braces are typically not covered by insurance. With a discount plan, there are no limits, no maximum limits and patients can have as much work as they wish and can afford with the discounted fees.
In addition to saving money with a dental plan, it also saves you time. There are no forms, claims or waiting periods that are typically required with an insurance plan. There are also pre-existing conditions exclusions with insurance plans. Another one of the benefits of discount dental services is that there are great discounts on procedures that are not covered by insurance such as orthodontics, mentioned above, as well as teeth whitening, porcelain veneers and other procedures that are considered cosmetic.
I recently went to my dentist using our dental insurance benefits, as I needed a cleaning and a filling replaced. I walked out of the dentist office with an estimate of over $600 and my entire year’s maximum limit had been met. My husband could still get his teeth cleaned and checked, but everything else that he might need would be out of pocket. I was also told that due to my age that I would need to get my teeth cleaned every three months for an additional $160. With all of our premiums and cost of procedures using my dental insurance and comparing to the lower cost of the discount dental plan and deep discounts, we would have been about to get all of the procedures done and still saved money. I was surprised.
All in all, it may be more feasible for patients to use a discount dental plan to save even more on their dental care. When looking for a discount dental plan, look for a program that is a member of the National Association of Dental Plans. This Association promotes and advances the network-based dental plan industry in an effort to improve consumer access to affordable, quality dental care.
