Dental Insurance

Overview

The trend for dental insurance started in the 1970s, when people with medical insurance began insisting that the high cost of dental care should have the same sort of managed care model to make it more affordable. Today, many of the HMOs (health maintenance organization) that offer health and medical insurance also offer dental insurance.

There are also certain companies that don't offer dental insurance in the typical sense as that offered by the HMOs. Instead of a complete dental insurance, these companies offer a membership plan that allows their members to have dental procedures performed at a discounted rate.

How It Works

If you have insurance through an HMO, your insurance works in one of the two ways, depending on the agreed upon terms and conditions, you are required to pay the copayments or co-pays for certain procedures and the dental clinic/hospital then bills the insurance company for the agreed upon remainder of the payment. However, certain insurance companies may require you to settle the bills with the hospital and file a claim for reimbursement later for the covered costs.

If you have purchased dental insurance on your own, then what you purchased is most likely not insurance but a member benefit plan. Unlike traditional insurance, in this case you pay a yearly membership fee. In the following year, you can undergo any of the dental procedures for which you are covered at a special discounted rate. But you receive a discount only if your dentist accepts your membership plan.

Benefits

The cost of dental care, like any other health care facility, is quite high. Dental insurance, whether traditional or a membership plan, seeks to make dental care more affordable and this will encourage you to be proactive in going in for preventative care. Even membership plans, which typically offer fewer benefits than traditional dental insurance, can save you a substantial amount of money on expensive dental procedures.

Cost/Pricing

Traditional dental insurance can cost from $20 to over $100 a month, depending on the plan and the coverage you opt for. Dental membership plans that offer discounted rates for dental procedures and products will typically charge a fee for the first year. This can range from $125 to over $200. The cost also depends on whether you're purchasing the plan for yourself alone or for your entire family.

Timing

If you don't have dental coverage and you anticipate dental expenses, compare the price of dental insurance and any membership plans available to you with the savings you would get on procedures you anticipate. Like most insurance, though, many people feel it's worth the cost even if it goes relatively unused for the peace of mind you have knowing that it's there if you need it.

Companies/Industries

If you have health insurance, you can check with that company to see if they offer traditional dental insurance as well If not, then there are other companies that offer dental insurance membership plans where you pay a yearly fee to receive discounted rates for various dental procedures.