When you go to the store or shop online, do you take the time to compare the prices of different brands? Do you search for a good deal because every dollar counts? Now more than ever, you want to make sure that your money goes further, even when it comes to caring for your smile. When faced with the choice between dental insurance and an in-house dental discount plan, you wonder which one is right for you. Read on to learn more about these options and learn how you can enjoy savings.
How Dental Insurance Works
Although dental insurance plans can differ from each other in coverage, they generally collect monthly premiums. These payments entitle you to completely covered (or mostly covered) preventive care like cleanings, checkups, and X-rays. For minor repairs, like fillings, around 70 to 80 percent of the cost is paid by the insurance company. More extensive repairs, such as dental crowns and bridges, are usually 50 percent covered by your insurance and require you to pay the rest of the cost out-of-pocket.
Benefits of Dental Insurance
When used as intended, dental insurance benefits can help keep your oral healthcare costs low. Also, while some practice still don’t accept dental insurance, many do, allowing you to have multiple choices of offices to visit to care for your smile.
Disadvantages of Dental Insurance
As with medical insurance, dental insurance is often confusing for the average patient. Negotiating the claims process, understanding yearly maximums, filling out the seemingly endless paperwork, and worrying about deductibles can spin your head around. However, when you work with a team that knows the ins and outs of dental insurance and is on your side, you can hand over that stress to them.
In addition to being a headache in general, dental insurance can have limited coverage, especially when it comes to cosmetic services and dental implants. In fact, most plans don’t help with paying for cosmetic procedures at all! This leaves you paying full price out of your own pocket.
How a Discount Plan Works
Unlike dental insurance, an in-house discount plan involves an annual payment that completely covers two cleanings and necessary X-rays, but it also comes with two fluoride treatments and one emergency exam, if needed, at no extra cost. It also comes with a flat discount on all other services. It’s as simple as that!
Benefits of Discount Plans
While dental insurance can be painfully complicated and confusing, discount plans tend to be much more straightforward. No claims to fill out, no deductibles, no yearly maximums, no waiting periods—just essential preventive care with some help for other work you may need or want. In-house savings plans offer discounts on services that are otherwise not covered by insurance, including cosmetic procedures. Instead of paying full price for veneers, you can keep 15 percent of the cost thanks to the discount plan.
Disadvantages of Discount Plans
In-house discount plans can only be used in that one practice, which typically isn’t a big problem when you love the practice you visit, but this means that the plan is non-transferrable.
Ultimately, regardless of whether you use dental insurance or opt for the practice’s discount plan, you’re making a smart investment in your oral health and in your smile’s future. If you struggle to decide which is right for you, contact your dentist’s office and talk to the insurance team. They can help you understand your options more clearly and guide you to the one that saves you money.
About the Author
Dr. Megan McInnis is proud to offer the highest quality of dental care for individuals and families in the Downtown Portland area at an affordable cost. She graduated from the Texas A&M Health Science Center Baylor College of Dentistry in 2013 and has been practicing ever since. At RiverPlace Dental, she not only accepts most dental insurance plans, but she also provides an in-house discount plan for patients who do not have insurance. To learn more about the financing options available, you can contact RiverPlace Dental by clicking here.