Your oral health has a real bearing on your general health. Annual checkups, a decent diet and cleaning your teeth properly are the start of it. An affordable dental plan is the other half, because it removes the reason most people give for skipping the dentist.
People who hold a dental plan are more likely to go for their annual checkup, more likely to get their family seen, and more likely to have preventive work done. That is the practical case for having one.
Still not convinced? Here is why a dental plan matters to your health and to your budget.
Is It Worth Opting for a Dental Plan?
Before you settle on a plan, read the terms and work out what is actually covered and what you would still be paying yourself. A plan is only worth having if it fits the treatment you are likely to need.
It helps to know that most dental insurance plans cover dental procedures on a tiered scale. Preventive care is usually covered in full, meaning x-rays and routine cleanings.
Next come the basic procedures, such as extractions, root canals and fillings. Most affordable dental plans cover a set percentage of those once you have met the deductible.
Last come the major procedures, such as dentures, bridges and crowns. Insurance typically covers a much smaller share of those, which leaves you paying the bulk of the bill.
A discount dental plan works on a different basis. There is no deductible and no tiered percentage. You pay the dentist directly at a reduced rate, and the reduction applies to expensive work as much as to a routine cleaning.
Either way, compare dental plans properly before you commit to one.
The Importance of Dental Plans
Here are the main reasons a dental plan is worth having:
Expensive Dental Care
A checkup and cleaning twice a year is what keeps you out of the chair for oral surgery later. Even then, dental problems can arrive at any time, whether or not you brush twice a day and floss.
That is the case for an affordable dental care plan. When you do need an expensive procedure, you are paying a reduced rate or a share of the bill rather than the full price out of your own pocket.
Improved Oral Health
Because routine preventive care is covered by most dental plans, you stay on top of your oral health rather than finding out about a problem when it starts hurting. Regular checkups and cleaning mean issues get caught early and treated while they are still cheap to treat.
Preventive Care
With a dental plan in place you actually use preventive care, which is where the real saving is. Problems get diagnosed and dealt with at an early stage, before they turn into the sort of work that runs into four figures.
Cost-Effective
Dentists in a plan's network charge plan holders a reduced rate. With a discount plan you pay the dentist directly at that reduced rate, and there is nothing to claim back. With dental insurance, the insurer pays part of the reduced charge and you pay the balance. Either way, you pay less than you would walking in with no plan at all.
Time-Saving
Dental problems that get left alone cost time as well as money. Adults lose working hours to dental pain and emergency appointments, and children lose school hours to the same thing. A dental plan makes it far more likely that a problem is dealt with while it is small, before it starts costing you days.
Improvement in Overall Health
Plenty of studies have looked at the connection between oral health and general health. Signs of a number of medical conditions can be picked up by examining the mouth, throat and neck. Dental infections can also complicate existing conditions such as heart disease and diabetes, or cause problems during pregnancy.
Emergency Readiness
Emergency dental care is the part nobody plans for. Having a plan in place means you know where you stand on cost before you are sitting in a waiting room in pain.
Pre-Screened Dentists
The better dental plans work with a network of pre-screened dentists, so you are not picking a name at random for either a routine checkup or a major procedure.
Where Can You Find the Right Dental Plan?
Getting the right plan matters. The wrong one means you pay the membership or the premium and still end up covering most of your dental bills.
You can get dental benefits through an employer, or buy a plan yourself. If you are self-employed, the alternative is self-insuring, which means putting a set amount aside each month to cover dental visits when they come.
Where an employer provides dental cover, you may be offered a choice of coverage levels or a single option with no choice at all. Even when the employer pays towards it, check the total cost against what the plan actually covers before you sign up.
A dental plan matters to your oral health and to your family's. Brushing and flossing keep your mouth clean, but thorough cleaning and preventive care come from a dentist. Dental work, including basic cleaning, is expensive, and the cost climbs if you have a family or an existing dental problem.
Dental Plan Provider brings a range of dental plans together in one place.
You can compare dental plans and get an extra 10% off when you join online. We can help you keep your oral health in check without breaking the bank.
