If you are not familiar with the terminology used in the medical and dental industry, you are not alone. Plenty of people sign up for one plan or another without really knowing what they have bought.
The two most popular options in the US are discount dental plans and dental insurance, and they work in very different ways. Which one suits you depends on what your family earns and how much you can pay out of pocket.
Discount Dental Plans for Families Are Affordable
The biggest advantage of a discount plan is the size of the discounts, ranging from 10% to more than 60% off the price of treatment from in-network dentists. There are no deductibles, so there is no set amount to pay before the discount applies.
Sign up is quick, and most families can start using the plan almost straight away. That is in stark contrast to dental insurance, which often makes you wait a few months, and sometimes a full year, before it will pay for treatment. With most dental problems, waiting only makes things worse.
Dental Discounts as an Alternative to Insurance
A discount plan is a sensible alternative for individuals and families who have no dental insurance, or who want treatment their insurance will not cover. That applies to cosmetic dentistry in particular, including full mouth implants, which can cost a fortune when an insurer will not pay towards them.
Discount plans also tend to save families more over the long run. With insurance, once you have used up your annual maximum you are finished for the year, and any further treatment has to wait until the policy resets.
Why Dental Savings Are Worth It
With dental insurance you have to meet a deductible before the policy pays out. A discount dental plan charges a membership fee instead, paid annually, quarterly or monthly. Nothing else goes to the company before your discounts apply.
Most dental plans cover more than just teeth. The biggest benefit is that you can see your dentist as often as you need to, rather than the once or twice a year that insurance tends to allow. Regular visits prevent problems and catch disease early.
Sometimes a patient needs treatment straight away, and with insurance that treatment can be refused once the annual maximum has gone. Discount plans have no annual maximum, so the discounts are there whenever you need them. Every member of the family can use them right away.
Discount dental plans cover both teeth and gum maintenance, and both matter in preventing oral disease.
Some families ignore dental problems because they cannot afford the treatment. A dental plan brings the cost down, and heads off the complications that come from leaving things too long.
Advantages
Paying a Fixed Price
Discount dental plans do not catch you out with steep premiums, as health insurance can. You pay a fixed price that stays the same, so you know what you are committing to and can plan around it.
There Are No Waiting Times
Many dental insurance policies do not start covering you immediately, and can make you wait six months to a year or more. Discount dental plans have no waiting period. If you want to see what is out there, search our site here at Dental Plan Provider.
Dental Plans Are Cheaper
Discount dental plans are easy to get and the payments are small and straightforward. That is worth something when you consider the treatment insurers usually exclude, such as braces and dental implants, which for some people are not optional at all.
Additional Plans
Many discount dental plans include benefits that go beyond oral health, such as vision and hearing exams, chiropractic services and fitness checks. Bought on their own these are expensive, but bundled into a dental discount plan they come at a large discount for the whole family. That is an advantage over insurance policies, which tend to cover a narrow list of dental services and charge more in premiums for anything added on.
How to Find a Discounted Dental Plan
Many people are offered a dental plan as part of an employee benefits package. Plans are also sold through groups and associations, and directly by the providers themselves.
If you are not covered, you can use a search tool like our own to find options near you:
- Enter your ZIP code in the search box.
- You will get a list of the plans available where you live.
- Compare them on what they cover and what they cost before you choose.
Everything you need to know about each discount dental plan sits on a single page, including which procedures are covered and the maximum discount on each.
