Discount dental health plans are about as simple as you can get when it comes to dental coverage. This kind of plan is for those that don’t currently have any dental insurance. It’s a nice, affordable way to offer oral protection to you and your family. These dental plans are much cheaper than traditional insurance, and almost offer equal coverage for nearly all preventative dental work and even some cosmetic procedures not covered by normal indemnity plans.
One thing you need to remember is discount dental health are not insurance. It actually works more like a club membership, where the cost of membership (your premium) earns a steep discount on any club service (dental work) you buy. The discount normally applies to all dental procedures performed by an approved dentist, but no procedure is covered completely.
These plans are good because they are affordable, they cover a wide array of rendered dental services, and you receive immediate coverage. The bad thing about them is you’re at greater financial risk and responsibility. Although the monthly cost of these discount plans is relatively cheap when compared to normal dental insurance, there is more financial risk with a dental discount plan. No dental procedure is completely covered by the discount plan. As a result, an expensive procedure such as a root canal could translate to a huge out-of-pocket expense, even with the discount plan. And even when you’re undergoing a low-cost procedure like a routine cleaning, you’ll still be expected to pay some of the cost.
There are some pluses to having this dental discount plan, too. One of the obvious benefits is that the plan is effective immediately. This means you can go to the dentist whenever you want, as soon as you want, providing you have clearance from your dental discount company. Another advantage is that there are no pre-existing condition exclusions. This allows you to receive immediate coverage for dental work without having to meet any waiting period requirements. The last advantage is that all good discount dental plans come with a money-back guarantee. This means if you are not satisfied with the dental discount plan, the company that sponsors the plan will refund any and all of your money to you. It is important to note that this does not mean you receive a money-back guarantee from the dentist. It’s only a refund from the company from which you purchased the plan itself.
Discount dental health plans are made available through various dental networks. These networks negotiate with dental offices to accept their discount dental plans. Services and procedures can be discounted up to 70 percent of the normal American Dental Association price. It’s a good idea to make sure your dentist will accept the discount card, or you find a dentist who will before you decide to purchase.
If a dental discount plan is not the kind of dental coverage you’re looking for, you can choose other kinds of dental plans such as dental HMOs, PPOs, indemnity plans, or direct reimbursement plans. All of these, minus the direct reimbursement plan, are insurance-type dental plans. To find out more information on these plans, their costs, and the benefits they offer, contact a local insurance provider. If you wish, you can also do a quick search on the Internet to find dental insurance agencies who generally offer free, instant quotes and information on their respective Web sites.
By John Ivie