Want the Best Dental Insurance Bang for Your Dollar? What You Need to Know

For many people, having dental insurance can mean the difference between receiving adequate preventive care and postponing necessary treatments. However, insurance doesn’t cover everything. Most packages are designed to encourage preventive care. Many cover basic or major restorative services at least partially, typically 50 to 80 percent, which is a significant portion of the cost of a $600-$1000 procedure.

The quality of the insurance and what it covers can vary significantly from one package to another. Here’s what you need to understand about dental insurance and how to get the best coverage bang for your buck.

Types of Care Covered

Most packages from reputable insurers cover preventive care, such as checkups and cleanings,  100 percent. Therefore, if you have dental insurance, you must take advantage of these benefits. Aside from being critical to dental health, you’re throwing money away if you don’t use these services.

Your dental package will also likely cover basic and major restorative care, but only partially. Basic care, which typically includes fillings, extractions, and re-cementing of previous crowns and bridges, is typically around 80 percent, but this amount could vary. Major oral care procedures, such as implant crowns, bridges, implants, and root canals, are generally covered at approximately 50 percent. Actual rates may vary depending on the insurance provider.

Dental care can still be substantial even if you have insurance. However, the cost might be one-fifth to one-half of what you’d pay out-of-pocket without it.

PPO vs. HMO

Similar to traditional health insurance, dental plans can come from dental preferred provider organizations (DPPOs) or dental health maintenance organizations (DHMOs). DHMO limits who you can see according to the dental network covered by the insurance. In contrast, a DPPO allows you to choose any dentist in your area, regardless of network. Most dental plans are DPPO.

DHMOs have their advantages, mainly because the cost can be significantly lower. Office visits are usually cheaper, around $5-$10. Also, there’s no coverage limit, which is helpful if you need extensive dental care.

Family Plans Are Less Expensive Overall

If you have a family, getting a family dental plan is far more affordable than purchasing individual coverage for each person. Under family dental insurance, everyone insured is under one group. The more people you have on your family plan, the more you save on premiums, deductibles, and other expenses.

Custom Coverage

Even under family dental plans, most companies will allow you to customize coverage for each insured person. In most cases, your family can choose the dentist and the specifics outlined in your package. If you have a family member who might need more care sooner than others, you can sometimes modify their policy accordingly.

Waiting Periods

It’s best not to plan on getting a bunch of work done within the first month after you acquire your dental plan. Many plans have waiting periods that begin at the start of the policy term. While preventive care is usually covered immediately or after the first 30 days, basic restorative care typically begins after three months. Coverage for major restorative treatments typically takes six months to kick in. It’s best to review the details of your policy, contact an agent, or consult with your Cincinnati family dental care provider if there are parts of your policy you don’t understand.

Affordable and Accessible Family Dentistry in Cincinnati

At Beckham Square Family Dental, we strive to deliver the best possible oral healthcare to you. A basic understanding of dental costs and insurance plans can help you and your family anticipate your oral health needs and take care of them when it’s most necessary.

Excessive cost or insufficient insurance coverage shouldn’t be the reason you go without crucial checkups. If you don’t have dental insurance, don’t lose heart. At Beckham Square Family Dental, comprehensive care is accessible when you sign up for our Dental Membership Savings Plan. Whether it’s for an individual or the whole family, you pay a yearly fee and gain access to several benefits, including preventive checkups, cleanings, fluoride treatments, and others. Contact us today to schedule your next appointment, request assistance with reviewing your insurance, or learn more about our Membership Plan.