All dental plans are not created equal. When looking for a dental plan, it’s first important to know that a dental plan is not the same as a dental insurance plan. A little information and some comparison-shopping should help narrow down the field of prospective dental plan searchers.
Unlike dental insurance plans, which require yearly deductibles on service and limits to service cost amounts per year, a dental plan usually has no annual limits to services that can be accessed throughout the year. No limits means that you can get your teeth cleaned that extra time or continue ongoing dental work throughout the year without having to wait for the following year for it to be completed.
Dental insurance is usually obtained through a business employer, with new policies being written once a year, which causes quite a long wait for some. Unlike dental insurance, for the most part, a dental plan can become activated within a few days. The best thing about a dental plan as opposed to a dental insurance plan is that you don’t have to fill out a claim form every time you visit the dentist’s office. With a dental plan, a subscriber is given a membership card, and that card is shown to the receptionist at the dentist’s office. Most services at a dental office will be offered at a discount with presentation of a dental plan membership card.
In addition, a dental plan doesn’t have health restrictions for patients that a dental insurance plan has. Dental insurance often won’t cover the costs of work done on pre-existing conditions, while a dental plan will.
Still, it’s always wise to make sure exactly what is covered and what isn’t before signing the dotted line on any insurance plan. While dental insurance companies rarely insure cosmetic dentistry or orthodontics, a dental plan will cover both. Again, make sure that each plan is specific about what is covered within these specialties.
Dental insurance requires subscribers to pay monthly premiums in order to maintain eligibility but a subscriber to a dental plan pays a one-time membership fee that allows them to choose any dentist within the provider network, which enables those dentists to offer discounts on most dental work and procedures. Of course, a person can go to any dentist that they choose, but in such cases the discount to subscribers won’t be as large as those provided by network dentists.
The best thing about a dental plan is that it’s available to everyone and that means individuals, families and groups. Dental insurance is usually not available to those who are not receiving the insurance from an employer. A dental plan is therefore the best way to obtain dental care for the self-employed and people that run a small business. Membership fees are very affordable and the quality of care provided by dentists within a dental network maintains high standards. Learning the difference between dental insurance and a dental plan can not only save you time and money, it can also provide peace of mind.
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