Choices in Dental Insurance Plans

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Choices in Dental Insurance Plans
by Bobbie Sage
About.com

Everyone needs dental care. Unfortunately, not everyone knows there are a variety of ways to pay for a dentist and dental care. There are more choices than just traditional dental insurance and those choices can save you money on your dental care. If you need a way to pay for your dental care and dentist fees, here are 4 dental care and dental insurance options you may want to consider:

1. Traditional Dental Insurance: These are the plans most are used to and work similar to health insurance plans. With traditional dental insurance plans you pay a weekly or monthly premium and receive benefits such as 80-100% of your dental costs covered. You can find traditional dental insurance plans through your employer or an insurance agent. Remember though, if you go to an insurance agent and not your employer then your costs may be higher. Also, some procedures and prior problems may have a waiting period or may not be covered. Always check with your employer first when looking to purchase a dental plan.

2. Dental Reimbursement Plans: A dental reimbursement plan is not insurance but instead a type of agreement between you and your employer. With a dental reimbursement plan you pay for your dental care then take your receipt to your employer and they reimburse you up to a specified limit (usually $500-$1000 per year). This is a great way for an employer to offer benefits to their employees and neither party has to worry about paying monthly premiums to an insurance company or has to worry about having limited choices in a dentist. If you like the idea of having a dental reimbursement plan in your workplace, just ask your employer!

3. Voluntary Group Plans Want dental insurance at your workplace? Get together with your fellow co-workers and ask your employer to set up a voluntary group dental insurance plan. With this type of plan, you and your co-workers pay all the fees for the dental insurance but it is set-up through your employer so you are able to get a cheaper group rate and possibly better benefits.. there are strength in numbers!

4. Dental Discount Plans: A dental discount plan can be a great way to pay for your dentist and dental care at a lower cost. Dental discount plans are not insurance but instead one would get a specific discount on specific services. For example: You go to the dentist and the "off the street" fee is $100 for a visit and cleaning. With a dental discount plan, if its discount is 20% then instead of paying the normal $100 visit/cleaning fee you would only pay $80 thus getting a 20% discount on your services. These types of plans usually require you to pay an enrollment fee and a monthly fee to the dental discount plan provider but the fees are less than insurance. Also, your dentist choices will be limited to the dentists in your area that accept the dental insurance plan.

With any dental plan choice, look at all the facts and find what will best fit your needs. For some, a dental discount plan may be the best fit for them since their employer does not offer any type of dental insurance and is not willing to negotiate a plan in the workplace. But for others, purchasing dental insurance through their employer is best since they have a family to insure and a history of dental problems. And in some instances, you may feel just fine paying for a dentist out of pocket and are not interested in paying premiums all the time for dental insurance. Most importantly, whatever you choose you will save more money in the long run by keeping current with dental check-ups to prevent any expensive major damage in the future.