Recently, I had to have my wisdom teeth extracted and a dental implant placed in my mouth. I was out of pocket about $1,700 – after the group plan I participate in through my employer paid out. What’s worse is that had I not had insurance, the whole fiasco would have cost me over $6,000!
The worst part about dental work is that typical dental programs through employers only pay out a maximum of $1,500 per year for your dental care – if you’re lucky. I even have had employers whose plans only covered $1,000 per year, but only after you had paid in to the plan for a year. Of course, you save an enormous sum of money by being insured because, like health insurance, dentists have contracts with insurance companies that stipulate how much they can charge you for each service. However, that doesn’t change the fact that dental work is very expensive.
I did the math and I realized: in four years I have had two root canals, an implant, three crowns, and my wisdom teeth taken out. I was afraid to add up all the money I have spent on my pearly whites. I can only imagine how many other people feel the same way. I can also only imagine how many people have to put off dental work because they cannot afford it.
While participating in a group insurance policy is a fabulous start, for many Americans the benefits given won’t be enough to cover extensive treatments such as root canals (which almost always require a crown placed on the treated tooth) and implants. So how do you mitigate these costs? Easy! Through supplemental dental policies. These dental insurance alternative plans are even available to the uninsured at a fraction of the cost.
A quick trip to the web informed me that there are two basic types of supplemental dental policies: discount plans which give you a reduced rate on your treatment, and PPO plans which work in a similar way to group plans. Which one works best for you will be an individual decision.
Discount Plans
When you participate in a discount plan, you will be given a list of procedures and also a list of the rates you will be charged for each procedure. If you already have a group plan, I am not sure how beneficial this will be for you since your insurance already negotiates lower rates. However, if you are with a dentist who doesn’t participate in your PPO plan from work (such as a dentist you have gone to your whole life, but when you changed jobs and insurance no longer was in-network), but participates in a discount plan you could luck out. Furthermore, there typically is not a cap on the amount of savings you can get AND there usually aren’t any waiting periods. If you have a lot of expensive work you have been putting off, the fact that there are no annual maximums could work out really well for you.
Discount plans are for the most part less expensive than buying in to a PPO policy. If you are currently uninsured, discount plans may be an excellent and affordable way for you to help fund your dental work.
PPO Plans
PPO plans work exactly like the insurance you get through employment: your dentist either participates in a network or does not participate in a network. Whether or not your policy will pay for services through an out-of-network provider depends entirely on your policy. Another thing that depends on your policy is how much your plan will pay out each year. Usually plan maximums can be set between $1,000 and $1,500 annually. Another limiting factor is that there could be waiting periods on major services such as root canals and crowns. Be sure to ask plenty of questions and research your current providers to see if this option is for you.
PPO Plans are usually more expensive than discount plans. However, there is a good possibility that you could save more money using a PPO plan.
How to Determine Your Needs:
The best dental insurance alternative for you depends on your unique situation. You need to consider the following things when considering a dental plan alternative:
1) How much dental work do you need? If you need a significant amount of dental work, you need to look over your options and see what fits best. For some policies there may be waiting periods on major services. Plans such as the discount plans may have immediate coverage so it’s good to check.
2) What dentist do you want to use? If you already have a dentist that you want to use, inquire as to what plans they participate in. IF you don’t have a dentist, shop around and see who participates in the dental insurance alternative plans you are interested in.
3) What you can afford. Some alternative discount plans are available for less than $10 per month. If you want a plan in place – just in case – this may be the best option for you.
While dental work can be expensive, taking care of your pearly whites is a necessary evil. No matter what your situation, there’s a way you can help save money and get the dental care you deserve. Contact your dentist office or this website to explore your options today.
