It’s no secret that when it comes to healthcare coverage, Americans have been known to skip the cost and take unnecessary risks to save money for other expenses. The more expensive the product, the more likely they are to forego the expense. And with dental fees rising 20% in the last 10 years and its perceived novelty, more people than every are skipping out on dental coverage to save a few dollars each month, but is that really the best option?
Although dental coverage options are affordable, ranging between $10 and $30 a month, nearly half of Americans lack any form of dental coverage. And what they don’t know is that lack of proper dental hygiene and routine cleanings can lead to poor oral health that can lead to major health problems in the future, costing them way more money than the proper dental plan would’ve in the first place.
And when faced with task of choosing a plan, many find themselves lost in a sea of different options and information and choosing between dental insurance and a discount dental plan can be difficult.
But what makes these plans different or similar? And how can know the right one to utilize benefit not only your wallet, but your health?
Dental Insurance
Dental insurance typically covers 100% of two preventative care, which includes cleanings, exams, X-rays, topical fluoride and sealants. In addition to low level treatments and procedures such as extractions, fillings, root canals, and crowns.
Though these plans can be costly if the member exceeds the annual maximum amount that the insurance is willing to cover. Leaving some members stranded when the go over the $750 – $1,500 maximum.
Dental Discount
Dental discount plans allow dentists to offer discounted dental procedures to their customers that is separate from traditional dental insurance options. These programs typically have a lower monthly cost than health insurance but don’t offer as much coverage as other insurance plans. In the case of dental discount programs, members save around 10% on dental services.
With discount dental programs, members pay the dentist directly instead of making their payment to the insurer, if applicable. Members of these programs pay for the total cost of the procedure after their discount.
How to Decide
The deciding factor between these two programs might be which providers you plan on using with your coverage.
Overall, you are more than likely going to spend less on a dental insurance plan if you plan on getting routine cleanings or worry you may run into oral health complications later.
But, if your provider isn’t in the network of the insurance that’s in your price range, it might be worth going with the discount program if you are willing to spend a little bit more to be taken care of by the provider you trust.
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