One of the biggest myths about dental insurance is that it pays most of all the average dental bill. The truth is that this ratio is closer to 50% because of such things as deductibles, waiting periods, UCR limitations and excluded procedures, all of which dramatically reduce the benefits available to patients. Most people with dental ins waste their money by paying high monthly premiums even though almost 60% of these same people never visit the dentist in a given year (Source: American Dental Association or A.D.A.).
To make matters worse, if your employer doesn't offer dental ins', you'll find it almost impossible to buy some on your own. "While nearly all dental ins companies once offered coverage to individuals, by 2001 only 10% of the 60 companies that belong to the National Association of Dental Plans still did so. Frankly, these companies don't want your business" says Evelyn Ireland, executive director of the NADP. Because of this, even the A.D.A. doesn't recommend that individuals try to purchase dental insurance on their own, says Dennis McHugh, manager of the association's dental benefit information department.
Even some prominent dentists don't recommend traditional dental ins for individuals. "It's never in anyone's interest to purchase individual dental insurance policies; their purpose is to put more money into the insurance carrier's pocket, not yours." says Mark Bornfeld DDS of DentalTwins.com.
Insurance Plans vs. Non-Insurance Plans
What are some of the major differences between traditional (i.e. indemnity) dental insurance and discount dental plans? Dental insurance policies are typically characterized by monthly premiums, deductibles and annual maximums. Alternatively, discount dental plans are designed to be as accessible as possible, so they do not share any of these characteristics associated with dental insurance.
Some characteristics of Dental Insurance Plans include:
Limitations, deductibles and annual maximums
Waiting periods for major dental procedures
Tedious and time-consuming written claims process
Limitations/exclusions on pre-existing conditions
Certain dental specialties, such as cosmetic dentistry, are rarely covered
Consumers pay expensive monthly premiums for defined coverage
Typically inaccessible to individuals and families unless provided by their employer
Some characteristics of Discount Dental Plans include:
Available directly to individuals, families, businesses and groups
No annual limits, members enjoy discounts on most dental services all year long
No paperwork hassles; plan membership card is presented for discounts on dental services
No health or age restrictions
Most plans activate within 1-5 business days
Most plans include dental specialties, such as cosmetic dentistry and orthodontics
Members pay small membership fees for access to network of providers offering discounts on dental procedures
The importance of having good dental coverage is a no-brainer. However, if you are one of 100 million Americans who currently play dental roulette by paying for all their dental work out of pocket due to not having dental insurance, forking over $100 to $150 or so a year to enroll in a dental plan provides a cushion if you run into major costs. Even if you do have dental insurance, a discount dental plan may be a smart way to pay for both cosmetics and orthodontic work, procedures that are either ot covered or only partially covered by most dental insurance policies.
COMPARISON: DentalInsurance VS. DiscountDentalPlans
* Dental Insurance \ DMOs
Premiums $75 to $100 a month
Standard 30 to 60 day waiting period
Pre-existing waiting period 6-12 months
Standard $25 to $100 deductible per visit
Ins. claims forms for doctor and patient
Standard $500 to $1500 annual limit
Orthodontics may exceed annual limit
Must give notice to change dentist (DMO)
Specialists may exceed annual limits
Individuals pay same rates as families
* Discount Dental Plans
Premiums as low as $6 per month
No waiting periods
All pre-existing conditions covered
No
deductibles
No
claim forms
No
annual limits
All orthodontics covered (children & adults)
Can
change Dentist anytime w/o notice
All
specialists included
Reduced rates for individual plans
Do You Like Your Dental Ins. Coverage?
If you don't have dentalinsurance and need some sort of emergency coverage, your best bet is to enroll in what is known as a Discount or Reduced Fee Dental Plan as this type of plan will lower your dental bills by anywhere from 15% to as much as 60%.
Although DiscountDental4U.net doesn't endorse one dental plan over another, those looking to enroll in a discount dental plan should go to Dental Plans.com because and they make it easy to comparison shop by allowing you to quickly compare membership fees, participating dentists, dental procedures prices, and much more up to 30 different regional or national dental plans.
In addition, you'll save 10% on any plan you purchase! To do so, click on the link below, type in your zip code and begin comparing dental plans available in your area. Then, when you've decided on which plan to enroll in, use DiscountDental4U.net's SPECIAL 10% OFF COUPON by using coupon-code "blurt" when filling out a DentalPlans.com's application form.
