Is Dental Insurance Really Worth The Cost?

By Author: Patti Testerman
Total Articles: 4
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Insurance. We all rest a little easier knowing we have it. Car insurance, medical insurance, homeowner's or renter's insurance. But what about dental insurance? And what are the differences between dental insurance and discount dental plans?

Dental insurance offers different plan options: a dental health maintenance organization (DHMO), a dental preferred provider organization (DPPO), or dental indemnity insurance, which is traditional fee-for-service insurance. There are pros and cons for each of these, but with dental insurance, unlike discount dental plans, there are copayments, deductibles, annual maximums and waiting periods before coverage kicks in.

Discount dental plans provide discount dental care fees through a network of qualified dentists – in most cases, the same dentists who accept dental insurance. With discount dental plans, there is no waiting period before you can take advantage of services, no deductibles, and no annual maximums. You pay a nominal annual "membership" fee for access to care, and you know ...
... what the discounts are on routine checkups, services and procedures at dentists in your area.

How do you compare the costs of discount dental plans with dental insurance? Is dental insurance worth the cost of the co-pays and the monthly premiums vs. discounted dental fees available with dental plans?

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, in the United States, 73% of people who have private health insurance through an employer also have dental coverage. But only three out of 10 people who pay for their own insurance have dental coverage. This may be due to the cost of the monthly premiums and the fact that when you need a dental procedure, the full cost is not covered.

Discount dental plans, such as those offered by New Dental Choice and other dental plans, offer straightforward, up-front discounted fees on procedures performed by dentists within the dental plans' networks.

It pays to add up all the costs of dental insurance and compare. Dental is quite different from medical insurance, and in terms of cost savings, discount dental plans may be the way to go.

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The author specializes in consumer discounts, including discount dental plans , providing helpful information to online communities.