If you’re not well-versed with terminologies related to the medical and dental industry, you’re not alone. It is common for people to sign up for one plan or another without knowing what they’re getting themselves into.
The two most popular options in the US are discount dental plans and dental insurance, both are very different. Which one is the better option depends entirely on how much you and your family earn per year and how much you can pay out of pocket.
Discount Dental Plans for Families are Affordable
The biggest advantage of dental plans is that members can avail significant discounts ranging from 10% to more than 60% off services from in-network dentists. Families have to pay a yearly fee, usually to the tune of $150 per year. There are no deductibles. This means you don’t have to commit a certain amount to the company before your discount can kick in.
It’s as quick as plug and play, and most families can easily avail services right after sign up. This is in stark contrast to dental insurance plans which require you to wait a few months (even up to a year) to avail a dental procedure. With most dental issues, it is not advisable to allow more time to pass because the problem gets worse with time.
Dental Discounts as an Alternative to Insurance
Dental discounts are an excellent alternative to individuals and families that don’t have dental insurance or want to avail services not covered by insurance. This is definitely true for cosmetic dentistry such as full mouth dental implants which can cost a fortune for many individuals, especially when not covered by their insurance companies.
It has also been observed that dental discounts help save families more in the long run than dental insurance. For example, a 40% off on root canals at a cost of $2000 would easily make up for the amount you invested in your dental plan. In contrast, many dental plans place a maximum limit on the total payouts at less than $2000 per year. This means you can’t get multiple procedures done and will have to wait for the completion of a full-year before you can avail more services.
Why Dental Savings Are Worth It
With dental insurance, you have to meet a certain deductible before availing procedures. A discount dental plan has an annual, quarterly, and, monthly fee that needs to be paid. You don’t have to pay anything else to the company to avail your discounts.
Most dental plans offer services that usually go beyond teeth protection. The biggest benefit being that you can visit your dentist on a regular basis instead of once or twice a year under dental insurance. Regular visits to your dentist can prevent teeth problems and detect early diseases.
In some cases, the patient might need immediate dental services. But they might be turned down by their dentist if you have already exhausted your annual maximum. Dental plans have no maximum quotas, allowing you to avail discounts whenever you want. This gives you and your family peace of mind because every member of the family can avail these dental services right away.
Discount dental plans cover teeth and gum maintenance, together they both play an important role in oral disease prevention.
Some families tend to ignore dental issues because they can’t finance their procedures. A dental plan can decrease their expenses and any complications that arise from dental issues.
Advantages:
Paying a Fixed Price
Discount Dental Plans don’t catch you by surprise with steep premiums, as is the case with health insurance. You pay a fixed price that stays constant. You are fully aware of how much you need to pay and can plan accordingly.
There Are No Waiting Times
Many dental insurance plans don’t offer immediate coverage, requiring you to wait at least six months to a year or more. With discount dental plans, there is no waiting period. If you want a sample of options, you can search our website at Dental Plan Provider.
Dental Plans Are Cheaper
Discount dental plans are easy to obtain and don’t break the bank. Payments are cheap and easy to make. This is impressive when you factor in services that are usually excluded by dental insurance companies such as dental cosmetic procedures such as braces and dental implants which are necessary for some people to avail.
Additional Plans
Many discount dental plans include additional benefits that go beyond oral health, this can include: vision and hearing exams; chiropractic services; and fitness checks. On their own, such programs tend to be very costly, but when offered as part of dental discount plans, you can get big discounts for your whole family. This is a big advantage over insurance plans since they are restricted to only a few dental services, requiring you to pay and more premiums for add-ons.
How to Find a Discounted Dental Plan?
Many employed people are usually offered dental plans as part of their employee benefits package, which is available through groups and associations as well as directly from insurance companies.
If you’re not covered, then you can use a search engine like our own to look for options near your area:
- Simply enter your details such as ZIP code and age to get a list of plans available.
- On the left side of the page, you’ll see a search bar that requires a ZIP code.
- Once you enter your zip code number, you will be taken to several plans based on Individuals.
- On the upper left corner of the screen, you can change the plan type to ‘Family’, to get a range of options for your family. You can sort out the search results in terms of popularity, savings, cost, and other parameters.
- Alternatively, you can also reach our hotline at 1-888-571-3867 to communicate with a service representative who will give you the right pointers.
All the information related to each Dental Plan is available to you on a single page, detailing what procedures are covered and their maximum discount.