As we know that poor care of mouth and teeth can affect a person general health and well-being throughout his life. Generally, when this problem comes, there is a need to start seeing a dentist regularly…and everyone knows a hole in tooth can put a bigger hole in wallet…that costs money! Because dental disease is so common, being protected by dental insurance and using it wisely is essential safeguards for any individual or a family. Dental insurance provides with an effective way to manage the rising costs of dental care, and it removes many of the excuses and everyone come up with for why not to see a dentist.
Among other insurances “Dental insurance” is rather unique. First, its low cost makes dental insurance 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. Dental plans usually cover a wide range of services. These include preventive care, emergency care, and procedures such as crowns, root canals, periodontics, orthodontics, oral surgery, and more.
Although some dental care is provided under the Medicaid public health system, only a tiny proportion of the overall budget is spent on it and the cover is getting smaller all the time. Medicare, the health provision for the elderly, does not cater for it at all. Finally it can be said, Dental insurance can be useful in cases where it may find oneself facing a substantial bill to repair teeth. But one will still have to pay a fairly hefty premium for cover. It is generally agreed that for the most part intent of dental insurance is a different from that of most other types of insurance.
There the underwriting company assumes a small risk of catastrophic loss in return for a fee (premium). Catastrophic loss is usually not encountered in dentistry but it certainly is a risk in medicine. Traditional Dental Insurance:- Dental insurance is sometimes attached to healthcare packages that accompany jobs at larger companies. However, more often these days, dental and vision is not part of company health packages. This means that it is up to the individual to get their own coverage. Preventative Dental Care:-
Of course, once a person have dental insurance he have to make sure that he visit the dentist on a regular (twice a year) basis! Still, if a person is paying even the most affordable premiums it is another incentive to make sure that he get the preventive work done. It will really cut down the chances of having major and costly work done in the future. Dental plans have always been an utmost necessity. Even for the most frugal or fearful person, tooth and gum problems are hard to ignore. A person rely on his teeth and gums every time he eat or drink, so there is nothing more miserable than having dental problems that go untreated.
In today’s uncertain economic times, however, finding affordable dental care has become quite a challenge. Fewer people than ever have insurance and even fewer have dental insurance. This is because of the prohibitive cost of most traditional dental insurance plans. 2. DENTAL PLANS Dental plans and programs offered by many are not health insurance policies. They provide discounts at certain health care providers for medical services. Some of the Dental Plans providers do not make payments directly to the providers of medical services.
The Plan or Program member is obligated to pay for all health care services but will receive a discount from those health care providers who are in contract with the plan organization. Each insurance company has different types of dental plans. It is impossible to generalize the types of plans because what works for one company doesn’t work for another for reasons of different types of employers. But there are some common features that can be noticed in most dental plans. Fee-for-service plan is a quite common plan (or the variation of it). Many discount dental plan offer savings of certain percentage on most dental procedures.
When visiting a participating dental provider, a patient will be charged according to the plan discounted schedule fee. With fee-for-service plan a patient may visit any licensed dentist and change dentists at any time without notifying their insurance company. Sometimes these costs may be lower if a person visiting a dentist that is a dentist sponsored by a particular insurance company. A variation of fee-for-service plan works almost in the same way where a dentist is paid for each service provided and the patient may be responsible for a deductible or co-payment for certain services as well as amounts above annual maximum.
While the patient may visit any licensed dentist and change dentists at any time without notifying his insurance company, he will maximize his benefits when visiting a dentist specified by his insurance company. An insurance company will pay its portion directly to the dentist to make things easier for him. A patient will most likely get a notice explaining his portion of the bill, and than will pay the dentist only that amount that is specified on the bill. Choosing a dental plan When looking for an appropriate dental benefits plan, it is important to do the research and make a knowledgeable decision.
It is a good idea to contact several different insurance carriers and spend time asking questions and comparing packages. Most dental coverage tries to ensure people can receive regular preventive care. Choosing the right dental plan can help to save a lot of money over the course of one year or several years. A person should be sure to take advantage of easy-to-use plan comparison chart to compare the savings and features of each discount dental plan in his area before deciding on a plan that is best for him. Contrary to many medical ailments, dental problems are generally preventable.
Through preventive care such as good dental hygiene, regular checkups and teeth cleanings, problems can be diagnosed early and treated without extensive testing. Therefore, the cost of dental insurance is usually lower than that of medical insurance. Routine treatments covered by the dental plan Check to see how much will have to pay out of pocket alongside the dental coverage. There is a broad range of treatments considered routine, and one can obtain a list of these from different dental insurance carriers. Major dental or emergency care is covered by the plan Not only one want to know what major care is covered, but one should also ask the amount of co-pay (money out of pocket).
Dental plans are often not as generous with major dental care or emergency coverage since their focus is largely on preventive treatment. Seeing the dentist or schedule appointment whenever a person needs to know Dentists who are part of closed panel or capitation plans may set aside specific hours these plan participants. Restrictive access is something to consider depending on an individual daily schedule and availability. Plan allow flexibility in terms of referrals.
Plans can often limit referrals to specialists for have specific requirements in order to obtain a referral. In general, one want to make sure that there are qualified specialists in the area that fall under the referral limitations of the dental plan. 3. DENTAL INSURANCE- WHY IT IS NEEDED? Why is dental insurance needed? Well, the most important reason is of course that treating dental problems is expensive. Second reason is that dental diseases are so common and yet preventable those with a dental insurance cover that stresses on preventive care we can enjoy trouble free oral health.
Almost every member of the family needs to visit a dentist for routine check-ups every year. Many times it’s more frequent that that. With out dental insurance we should be prepared to pay for these costs. But having a family dental insurance cover will protect one family by covering the costs of our dental care. It’s an essential safeguard for one family’s dental health. Preventive care, including regular checkups and cleanings, is very important to maintain good dental health. With regular visits to the dentist, problems can be diagnosed early and treated without extensive testing or elaborate and expensive procedures.
That is why dental care costs are much lower when compared to medical care. A good dental insurance cover is an ideal safety to help us keep medical and dental costs under control. So, invest wisely and choose a dental insurance plan that meets family needs. A variety of online dental insurance plans is now available and is quite simple to buy too.
4. AFFORDABLE DENTAL INSURANCE Having affordable dental insurance, especially if it is comprehensive, is a great relief to many people because it means not having to worry about going to the dentist and being faced with having a huge bill to pay.
Depending upon the plan chosen, there may not even be a deductible to meet. A simply be paying a pre-arranged discounted fee for dental services, depending upon the choices we make. There are many different types of affordable dental insurance, and depending upon the definition of ‘affordable’ for each person this may encompass both individual plans and discount plans. This insurance becomes most affordable when it is used for preventive care and the coverage is broad. The most expensive scenario is not having any dental insurance or not using what we may have.
We buy insurance to protect against an accident, tragedy, or incident that occurs in the course of living. Our best financial protection is having a plan that offers what we consider to be affordable dental insurance. There is a close relationship between medical and dental health. Having a healthy mouth is important to the overall medical condition of each of us. Strong straight teeth and a sparkling smile say so much about a person and their self-image. It’s one of the first things people see when they look at us and in an instant, it gives a perception of who we are.
Lovely teeth may be important for our job and social situation, so how can we neglect to purchase affordable dental insurance under those conditions? Healthy teeth and gums are part of our overall health. It goes beyond the simple act of chewing. Teeth are also important for properly making the sounds necessary for speech. As aging occurs, gum disease may occur if good oral hygiene isn’t practiced. And periodontal problems will affect the teeth and underlying bone. If these problems aren’t detected at an early stage, they will only continue to get progressively worse.
The solution to all of this is having affordable dental insurance, where any diagnosed dental conditions can be found at an early stage, treated and corrected. There is a wide range of affordable dental insurance from which to choose. Some policies are only a few dollars per month. For this minimal cost, the financial worry of visiting a dentist is diminished. There needn’t be any hesitation about visiting a dentist to get routine treatment and overall dental care. In addition to twice yearly cleanings and oral examinations, there is the peace of mind knowing that our mouth is free of disease.
If a dentist should find a problem that requires attention, corrective action can and should be initiated to resolve it. This is where our insurance plan comes in. It is worrisome enough to discover a dental issue without having the anxiety of paying for it. That’s what our dental insurance is for. By doing a bit of legwork before purchasing, we will be able to find a plan that not only suits our needs but provides affordable dental insurance. Who chooses our dentist? Do we get to choose our dentist under our dental plan? Or are we constrained to go a dentist chosen by our dental insurance company?
Dental plans are of different types with regard to choosing a dentist. Some dental plans allow us the freedom to choose our own dentist while others limit our choice for lower rates. These two alternatives are called the open and closed panel dental plans. Open Panel. This type of an dental plan allows patients to go to a dentist of their choice. Similarly any dentist has the choice to accept or refuse to treat patients enrolled in this type dental insurance plan. Open panel plans often are described as freedom of choice plans.
Closed Panel This type of dental plan allows patients to choose only from a limited number of dentists who have contracted with the dental insurance company. Closed panel plans are again of two types: Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) – The participating dentist provides service at less than his usual fee to the patients covered by this type of dental plan. Exclusive Provider Organization (EPO) – Some patients can see a group of dentists under this American dental plan. An EPO contracts with a limited number of practitioners and access to necessary specialized care may be restricted.
The EPO may also limit the amount of services that a patient can receive in a given calendar year. If we prefer going to our trusted dental care provider then choose a open panel plan, but read the fine print to see that emergency and routines tests are covered. This might be expensive. Strike a balance, a better option might be to choose a plan that has a large number of participating dentists from whom we can select one. For example our featured plan has over 100,000+ participating dentists under its dental insurance plans. So, we enjoy a wider choice of dentists at lower premiums.
5. DENTAL PLAN – PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE We can find that Dental plans emphasise prevention whereas medical insurance is designed to cover the costs of serious illnesses. Why do dental plans emphasise prevention? Simple it’s because dental diseases are preventable. Dental problems do not require elaborate testing and complex equipment. Usually all it needs is an examination by a dentist and some X-rays to diagnose most dental ailments. Dental plans works quite differently from medical insurance. Most dental plans are designed so that patients receive regular preventive care.
High quality dental care rarely requires the complex, multiple resources often required by medical care. As dental problems are preventable, dental benefits plans are structured to encourage patients to get the regular, routine care that is important in preventing the onset of serious dental ailments. Now days we can notice that dental plans empahsize that we assume more costs for dental treatment than for preventive care. Yes, it is much cheaper and safer to prevent dental disease than to cure it. In fact statistics show that preventive care saved nearly 100 billion dollars for America in the 80’s.
Choose wisely choose dental plans that offer preventive care. It’s definitely cheaper for us in the long term. Dental plans offer a comprehensive dental insurance cover with an emphasis on preventive care. 6. THE THIRD PARTY IN INDIVIDUAL DENTAL PLAN In any individual dental plan, there are usually three parties: 1. We, the patient 2. The dentist providing care 3. And a third party with whom we or our employer contracts for coverage. The primary responsibility of the third party is to provide the financial foundation for our individual dental plan. There are three types of third parties in any individual dental plan.
Dental Service Corporations. These are the not-for-profit organizations that negotiate and administer contracts for individual dental plan plans or specific groups of patients. Delta Dental Plan and Blue Cross/Blue Shield Plans are examples of this third party type. Insurance Carriers. These are the for-profit companies who underwrite the financial risk of, and process payment claims for, dental services. Carriers contract with individual dental plan seekers or patient groups to offer a variety of dental benefits packages, often including both fee-for-service and managed care plans.
Self-Funded Insurers. These companies use their own funds to underwrite the expense of providing dental care to their employees. The company pays for the dental costs of its employees, usually with limitations on services and fixed-dollar allocations. Being informed and selecting an individual dental plan suited for our needs is the wisest decision that we can take in the management of our dental health.
7. FAMILY DENTAL INSURANCE Family dental insurance is one of the most popular supplemental options for overall medical insurance policies.
It’s an inexpensive way to provide comprehensive coverage for our entire family. Just having medical coverage isn’t enough, especially if we have children. All too often they need orthodontics or have special requirements to ensure that their teeth grow straight and strong. In fact, pediatric dentistry may be an option, even if we are enrolling in a Dental Health Maintenance Organization. It’s a good idea to start children off right with an appreciation of their teeth and the tools to take care of them. Most dental disease is preventable, and it requires so little effort to have a clean, healthy mouth.
Having family dental insurance is a great way to ensure that everyone’s teeth and gums get the attention they deserve. Children also learn by example, and if they see that parents are brushing and flossing regularly, they will want to do the same. Family dental insurance shows that we care about the quality of our family’s total health care. Supplementing a medical policy will provide overall coverage that otherwise would be excluded. Going to the dentist on a regular basis is more likely if the fees are covered by our insurance plan.
Paying for individual family members can get costly, and this can be offset by family dental insurance. Discount plans allow us to get a deeply reduced rate as part of the network. There are a variety of membership plans, but the basic idea is to provide covered services at a reduced rate for anyone who is part of that network. The advantage to this type of family dental insurance is obvious for those who travel frequently. Should an emergency arise in a location far from home, reliable dental services would be available.
There is also usually no paperwork to complete, no waiting period, and no deductible to meet. All a member needs to do is present their cards as proof of enrollment, and they are eligible to receive services. With traditional family dental insurance, there will be deductibles to consider, and less overall flexibility in many of the plans. However, the customer can visit their dentist of choice (although some plans also require the dentist to be a member of the network). This insurance tends to pay for the more expensive treatments up to the limits of the plan once any deductible has been met.
With lots of choices available, it is important to consider exactly what type of coverage would best suit our family. Take the lead from the type of health insurance we’ve purchased, if that’s a product we’ve been happy with. For example, if we have and are pleased with a medical Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), a Dental Health Maintenance Organization is certainly worth consideration. But if our comfort level runs toward traditional medical insurance or the deeply discounted plans, perhaps our family would be best served with more conventional family dental insurance.
8. CHEAP DENTAL INSURANCE
The need for cheap dental insurance: Good oral hygiene is a pre- requisite to maintain a healthy life style, as symptoms of various diseases like diabetes, heart attack, strokes, bone loss, oral cancer etc can be detected by regular dental screenings. The need for cheap dental insurance is growing rapidly as maintaining good dental health is expensive. We can avoid costly dental procedures that result from poor oral hygiene and hence save lot of money in the long run with even a cheap dental insurance. Regular dental cleaning and check up needs to be done at least twice a year.
People who are more prone to oral diseases should have cleaning and check up more than twice a year. Cheap dental insurance will be one of the best supplements for a major medical policy. If we already have some type of medical insurance coverage, a cheap dental insurance plan may be all that’s needed. But before we buy it, be certain about what we’re getting – and that this will meet our needs. It would be unfortunate to buy a dental plan and then, when we need it, learn that the coverage we expected just isn’t there. It is important that we read the fine print in our policy document to learn about any limitations and exclusions.
It is regular medical and dental insurance policy to exclude existing conditions so disclose this to our insurance company before we make our purchase else we will be penalized and may have to pay larger premiums or completely. Discount dental plans, which strictly speaking aren’t insurance but take the place of it, have become popular over the past few years, and there are plenty of programs from which to choose that truly offer cheap dental insurance. These plans are membership programs and require using dental services within a network. That network may be large or small, local or national and our choice should be based upon our lifestyle.
For someone who doesn’t travel beyond their state, becoming part of a national network is unnecessary (and possibly more expensive). An advantage to using a discount plan for our cheap dental insurance is that there are no deductibles to meet and no paperwork to fill out. Usually, there is no waiting period. Dental services are discounted for those that are part of the network, and fees are established for each service. Dentists who join as part of the network have agreed to discount their fees and can only charge what has been negotiated under the terms of the policy.
There are no surprises when it comes time to pay. We know in advance what the scheduled fees are for each procedure performed. Examine the subtle and not-so-subtle differences to find a cost effective option that meets our budget. Remember, the cheaper the insurance, the less features and flexibility that plan will offer. At the very least, the policy should cover basic preventive care. This means two cleanings and oral examinations a year as well as routine x-rays. It could also include getting teeth filled, or even more extensive dental work.
Even with cheap dental insurance, policies will vary in what is offered, so it pays to check different types of programs to be certain the one we select suits our situation. Remember, too, that there is a difference between cheap dental insurance and cost-effective dental insurance. Dental insurance becomes cost-effective when we get the type of policy that fits our needs. By getting routine check-ups that prevent potential problems due to neglect; we’ve saved money in the long run. However, even if we don’t pay a lot, if our insurance is ignored (and figures have shown that 40% of dental insurance in the U.S. goes unused) it can be very expensive.
9. SMALL BUSINESS DENTAL PLAN If we own a small business and would like to offer dental cover for our employees we could get group dental plans. We get discounts for group cover and all our employees and our self can benefit from the lower costs for membership. The small business dental plans can also be tailored to suit the needs of our employees. Dental insurance cover is available only to those Americans whose employers offer the dental cover as part of medical insurance cover. The rest have to do with dental discount plans.
The small business dental plans are a real boon to small employers and their employees who would otherwise have no dental cover. Dental treatment is expensive if dental problems are detected late. The sooner they are treated the lesser the cost. Best of all is to prevent dental problems. As an employer we should tailor our small business dental plan emphasising on prevention. Regular check-ups, dental cleanings and routine visits to the dentist should all be part of the small business dental plan. A group small business dental plan is the best bet against dental emergencies.
As a small business owner even the loss of few man-days can cause serious disruptions in our schedule and loss of long term customer trust if we do not deliver on time. A few dollars invested in a small business dental plan can potentially save us thousands of dollars. So do not hesitate to invest in group small business dental plan and what’s more we can avail of discounts too on the membership fees.
10. CHILD DENTAL INSURANCE There are a number of different dental insurance programs to choose from, and selecting the Child dental insurance to suit our needs can be challenging.
There are discount plans, traditional plans, Dental Health Maintenance Organizations, and sub-categories within this list. How to know where to start? Begin by deciding the type of coverage we need. Child dental insurance is most often an extension of our health insurance plan. Whatever we choose should be compatible with our medical insurance without overlapping the coverage. There is no need to be pay twice for the same thing. On the other hand, make sure that our Child dental coverage provides us with all the features we’ll need.
Most plans take care of routine visits and cleanings, but some are more comprehensive than others. We’ll pay more for increased services, but if this is something that we want and will use, the added costs may be well worthwhile. Decide whether we want a deeply discounted plan that will allow us to receive dental services from anyone within that network, or if we are more comfortable visiting our own dentist each time. Discount plans may be a cheaper form of Child dental insurance in some instances, and may make sense for those who travel frequently or need access to a dentist often.
Routine visits to the dentist are the most cost effective way to keep dental payments low. Our dentist is then able to do an oral examination and assess any potential problems early enough to correct them. It has been shown that those people who have Child dental insurance go to the dentist more often and have better oral hygiene. Child dental insurance is all about receiving preventive care. In fact, the cost of dental care has continued to fall over the past decades. In 1970, 6. 3 percent of total health care costs were devoted to dental care, while in 1991; only 4. 9 percent was being spent.
As more and more people practice good dental habits, the costs of care decline. The entire focus of Child dental insurance is on preventing dental problems and disease. It requires the patient to take responsibility for their dental practices, such as correct brushing and flossing to maintain healthy gums and good teeth. This type of insurance is designed to cost the patient less to prevent the problem than to fix it, providing some built-in incentive to develop good dental habits. Some don’t consider discounted dental plans to be dental insurance, and strictly speaking, they aren’t.
There are no claim forms or waiting periods, no maximums, no deductibles, and no limits on how often we can visit the dentist. The monthly costs are also quite low, in most cases. These plans can also be reasonably flexible as far the dental service provider, allowing us to use any dentist who is part of the program. For many people, then, this is the ideal Child dental insurance.
11. MEDICAL AND GROUP DENTAL INSURANCE If we are considering purchasing or already have medical insurance, a Group Dental Insurance plan should not be far behind. Why? Because medical and Group Dental Insurance go together.
They supplement each other and provide comprehensive coverage in case of accident or injury. The good news about dental coverage is that it tends to be quite inexpensive and very cost effective when used. Group Dental Insurance is all about preventing problems that could arise through poor hygiene and sloppy care. Routine visits to the dentist are scheduled to detect most of the diseases and correctible conditions that might occur. Medical insurance is designed to cover diagnosis, treatment, and cure of serious illness and similar situations that arise.
So with the combination of medical and Group Dental Insurance, there is complete protection. Or is there? That depends upon the type of medical and Group Dental Insurance we choose. Plans range from the most comprehensive to discount fee-for-service. Because there’s such a wide range to select from, finding the one that’s going to meet our needs may not be as simple as we expect. Whatever we decide to go with, be certain that our medical and Group Dental Insurance plans are compatible. We don’t want to be pay for overlapping coverage, but we also don’t want gaps in our coverage, either.
One should pick up where the other leaves off. We should be able to find medical and Group Dental Insurance plans that are written specifically for our location or state. If not, there are national companies that offer this type of protection. We want to purchase from a company with a solid reputation and that can provide service to our local area. There are national companies that specialize in writing medical and Group Dental Insurance policies for certain states. Frequently, the same company can write both plans. Some offer the service of signing up online.
Before doing this, we may want to speak with an actual representative to be sure that we are getting the correct coverage for our situation. Choosing the optimum medical and Group Dental Insurance plan does take some effort and investigation, but remember why we are making that purchase. This is our safety net against catastrophic bills should a medical or dental accident or emergency occur. It is also to prevent conditions that could easily be diagnosed and treated before a major problem develops. Everyone in the U. S. needs medical and Group Dental Insurance.
It’s not an option but a necessity. There are too many times when people are underinsured and realize that in the long run, it would have been far cheaper to have had the appropriate medical and Group Dental Insurance.
12. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DENTAL PLAN AND DENTAL INSURANCE Dental insurance is simply an agreement between the dental insurance company and us that will allocate us to get pleasure from discounts on dental expenses. Maybe we will think that dental insurance and dental plan are just one and the same, but we are wrong.
There is big difference between the two. First let us understand what a dental plan is. A dental plan is simply the agreement between us and the company that will provide the plan for us. Just like dental insurance, it is a plan that will also give us discounts on all our dental costs. They will also let us choose the doctor that we like from the lists and the process of the approval is so easy. One good thing about dental plans is that if we want to decrease our dental costs without filling out so many documents, then this one is the right for us.
Are we still a bit confused about the difference between the two? There are more ways wherein a dental plan is dissimilar from dental insurance. •With dental insurance, we need to accomplish tons of application forms, and not only that, because we still need to convince them that we are free from any dental problems in the present that can affect our dental care in the future. Which is exactly opposite if we apply for a dental plan. Worry free when it comes to documents because the process is very simple.
•With dental insurance, they may still require us to undergo dental examination in order to qualify and we still have to wait for a long period of time. While in dental plan, we just have to apply and pay a certain amount of money for our membership and that’s it. Once they accept our application, we may already enjoy getting discounts on our dental care expenses.
•With dental insurance, most of the time procedures that will make our teeth look good is not covered like, teeth whitening, braces and many more. On the other hand, with some dental plans, we may be eligible for treatments of pre-existing situation.
Both dental insurance and dental plans cover cleaning of teeth, root canals and other dental care. In getting our claims, there is also a big difference, with dental insurance; first, we have to fill out a form that will be given to the doctor or to the dental insurance company for approval which means that we will wait in order to find out if our money will be reimbursed for the dental expenses. Sometimes dental insurance companies will only give us back a small percentage of the money we incurred for our dental care.