Is Dental Insurance Worth it? This is How to Find Out

Is Dental Insurance Worth it: Dental coverage lowers the cost of dental care by assisting in the prevention of future dental health problems and offering cost savings on dental treatments. Let’s see if dental insurance is worth paying for.

Dental insurance is basically health insurance for your mouth. Having dental insurance is an imperative idea. Dental insurance will cover your visits to the dentist and help you pay for any dental care you receive.

To sum it all, plans will cover a hundred percent of the preventative procedures, such as your check–up, cleanings and x-rays.

Medical insurance saves you money in the short and long term. If your monthly premium is great, you’ll pay a lower deductible, and vice versa.

In this article, you will find out if dental insurance is worth it.

How Much Does Dental Insurance Cost?

On average, Americans pay about $360 a year, or between $15 and $50 a month, for dental insurance. Costs will vary depending on your state.

Most plans come with a maximum annual benefit or coverage limit. This limit usually falls between $1,000 and $2,000.

Unlike medical insurance, which covers costs after your bills reach the amount of your deductible, dental insurance cuts off coverage after your bills reach the annual limit. You can pay any additional costs out of pocket.

We’ve partnered with eHealth, which scours the internet for the best possible dental plans for your specific needs.

You can find plans as low as $8 per month (but most are a bit higher). We think they’re a great resource to find yourself the best deal for your dental.

Only 2 to 4 percent of Americans will exhaust their maximum benefit annually, so you may not exceed your coverage limit. It’s more likely if you need a procedure like a root canal or a crown.

What Does a Monthly Dental Premium Cover?

A typical plan provides a level of coverage known as 100/80/50 coverage. Below are the premium dental insurance cover.

1. Preventive Care

The exams, cleanings, and X-rays you receive during an average dental checkup are 100 percent covered. Dentists recommend cleanings twice annually.

2. Basic Procedures

Like fillings, extractions, and periodontal work are 70 to 80 percent covered.

3. Major Procedures

Like crowns, root canals, dentures, bridges, or implants are 50 percent covered (or less).

What Kind of Dental Insurance Can You Choose?

The typical dental plan falls into one or three categories. which are:

1. Indemnity or Fee-for-Service Plans.

This plan allows you to pick a dental provider and your plan pays a percentage of the provider’s fee.

Pros: These plans let you choose from the widest variety of providers. The deductible (the amount you pay for procedures before insurance coverage kicks in) may be lower than other plans. The annual maximum coverage limit may be higher.

Cons: The premiums (what you pay monthly) tend to be higher than other plans. You’ll be paying your share of service costs up front.

This plan is best if: You have a certain dental provider you want to see, or you anticipate needing major, costly procedures.

2. PPO or Preferred Provider Organization Plans

With a PPO, you pay lower fees to see certain in-network or “preferred” providers.

Pros: The insurance network pays more than they might with an indemnity plan or HMO plan. You aren’t required to see in-network providers, but you save money when you do.

Cons: You’ll pay more if you see a provider out of the network. PPO plans often come with a maximum amount they’ll reimburse in a calendar year. Some procedures may not be covered or have a waiting period before coverage starts.

This Plan is Best if: You don’t need major dental work right away, but want to be prepared in case you need it in the future. You’d like some flexibility in your choice of dental providers but don’t want to pay high premiums.

3. HMO or Health Maintenance Organization Plans

With an HMO, you’re required to see dental providers in the insurance network.

Pros: Preventive services cleanings and X-rays will be 100 percent covered, while basic procedures come with co-pay. You may not have a deductible or maximum annual limit and premium payments will likely be lower.

Cons: Major or restorative procedures may come with less than 50 percent coverage or no coverage at all. You won’t have a large choice of providers.

This Plan is Best if: You don’t anticipate needing any major dental procedures in the near future. You have no provider preferences as long as basic dental work is covered financially. If you already have a dental provider you trust, see which plan their office recommends.

What if you need extensive dental care (more than a cleaning or cavity filling)?

The Bad News: With or without insurance, you’ll be shelling out some money. It’s a necessary evil. Teeth age, even with the most diligent brushing (my parents assure me a root canal is still far less expensive than my father’s dentures).

Remember those maximum annual limits? You can reach them quickly with even one major procedure. An average crown costs between $750 and $1,200.

A dental implant starts at $1,500, which is over the coverage limit for many plans. And while annual coverage caps remain about the same from year to year, the cost of dental services continues to rise.

If you plan to get insurance, your best bet is to purchase a policy before, not after, you need major work. Otherwise, you could be waiting months for coverage to begin a procedure. What if you’re uninsured and you already know you need major dental work soon?

See what your dentist recommends, but be prepared to have the procedure right away and pay out of pocket. Be honest about your financial situation and try to work out a payment plan. You’ll save more money than if you let the problem get worse while waiting for coverage to start.

Most plans won’t immediately cover pre-existing conditions or reimburse for major procedures completed before you got insurance. When in doubt, ask what’s covered and when.

Keep in mind there’s always a possibility you may need a procedure you don’t anticipate and it may not be covered by your policy.

The higher your premium, the more likely you are to have coverage for more extensive work. Your dentist will often tell you (or you can ask) which procedures you’re likely to need down the line.

Finally, is Dental Insurance Worth it?

That depends on your dental health and the plan you pick. With more wide procedures, having insurance can help cover the great cost, but chances are you’ll still be paying out of pocket for some of it. The best thing dental insurance can offer is a safety net in case you end up needing these wide procedures.

If you’ve found any of the information in this article handy, please subscribe with your email below, to receive regular updates like this one, and also share to your friends through the various platforms seen above.

CSN Team.