Dental Insurance is a type of insurance that offers a benefit for dental services. Many people wonder if dental insurance is something they should purchase. Unfortunately, the answer is not that simple.
Dental Insurance Pros
- can reduce out of pocket costs. If your insurance pays a high percentage of treatment, then your out-of-pocket costs are less. However, it is important to calculate actual benefit, after factoring in premiums in addition to copays.
- helpful if employer pays premium. If your employer pays your premium and you are only responsible for copays, this is usually a beneficial scenario.
Dental Insurance Cons
- yearly maximum. All dental insurance companies have a maximum amount they will pay for services each year. If your treatment needs exceed the amount they will pay in a given year, then the patient is responsible for 100% of any treatment costs over the yearly maximum.
- forced in network benefits. Some insurance companies only pay dentists who are in their network of providers. This means, the patient must choose from a list of providers set by the insurance company.
- unpredictable copays in addition to premiums. While insurance companies may say they cover 100% of services, after we actually file we sometimes find that there are amounts that are not actually covered. This means the difference in cost is passed along to the patient.
- waiting periods. Many insurance policies have waiting periods for treatment. This means patients may have to wait a certain amount of time after an insurance plan becomes active to have certain types of procedures completed. This is extremely frustrating because patients are still having to pay their premiums yet the insurance company will not cover the needed treatment.
Alternatives
- ACDC. Adams and Cheek Dentistry offers an in-office savings plan for patients without insurance. Patients pay for the plan to cover a 12-month period, and in doing so, receive a reduction in the cost of services. The ACDC plan covers two cleanings, any necessary x-rays, one fluoride treatment, and 15% off restorative treatment. For more information on our ACDC program, click here.
The staff at Adams and Cheek Dentistry are happy to answer any questions you may have regarding dental insurance as well as our alternative plan. Please feel free to call us at 919-866-1360 or click here to reach us online.
