Many people do not think of their teeth as something that can affect their overall health. The truth is, it can. It is for this reason that many dentist recommend that a person gets an oral exam at least every six months. During an oral exam, a dentist will determine what dental work, if any, needs to be completed to ensure proper dental health. These regular oral exams and subsequent visits that may be needed to get dental work completed can be draining on the finances. Having a insurance plan can help alleviate some of the financial burden.
People shy away from purchasing insurance because they see it as an additional expense they feel they can live without. The fact of the matter is it is indeed an added expense but people who shy away from it are not looking at the big picture. When comparing the amount of money spent on insurance and the patient’s portion of dental services with the money spent paying one hundred percent of the bill, the difference is significant. This goes to show that a person can save money in the long run with dental insurance.
Most dental insurance plans will completely pay for preventative maintenance care. This will typically include dental x-rays and two regular dental checkups. With an average cost of about one hundred fifty dollars just for the exam alone, this transforms into instant money savings. If during the regular dental exams the dentist determines there is further dental work to be done, dental insurance will cover that too but not completely as it is with preventative maintenance care.
On average, insurance will cover about eighty percent of most types of dental work that may be suggested by a dentist. Before the insurance covers this percentage, insurance policy holders will have to meet a specific deductible. This amount will vary among insurance providers. The deductible is paid directly to the dentist office at the time of service. Once the deductible is met, then subsequent services will be billed to the insurance company for the portion covered by the dental insurance policy.
There are dental procedures that are considered to be cosmetic because they will not affect dental health or overall health. An example of a cosmetic procedure is teeth whitening. Some dental insurance policies will cover cosmetic dental procedures at a much lower percentage than that of typical dental work. Some cosmetic procedures can be costly but with the coverage by a dental insurance policy, the cost savings are well worth the cost of the plan.
Dental health is extremely important although most people do not realize it. Having dental insurance will allow a person to keep in good oral health as well as save money doing so. Insurance can be an added expense but when a person looks at the big picture, dental insurance provides a large amount of savings. Each insurance plan is different and should be carefully examined before purchasing a plan.
Source by Nelson McWilliams
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