Dental insurance coverage is not nearly as common as health insurance, with only 60% of Americans currently carrying it. For many people, they don’t consider insurance coverage for dental care to be a worthwhile investment and prefer to pay out-of-pocket. While many precautionary procedures are affordable, there is a vast difference in cost between a cleaning and a crown. Dental insurance covers not only common routine treatments, but also protects you from the high costs of more complex dental procedures.
What Dental Insurance Covers
Dental insurance, in general, has the following three price brackets as it relates to cost coverage:
- 80-100% coverage for examinations and preventive care. Examples of this include cleanings and regular checkups.
- 50-80% coverage for more involved but common dental procedures such as fillings.
- 20-50% coverage for major dental procedures. Examples include involved reconstructive work such as bridges, crowns, and other major procedures.
Note that cosmetic procedures (for example teeth whitening) are not covered. Dental insurance plans typically have an annual limit of $1,000 to $1,500 per member.
Types of Insurance Plans
When picking a dental insurance plan, you’ll commonly have three options to choose from each with its own pros, cons, and options for choosing a dentist. These three types are:
- HMO (Health Maintenance Organization): are limited to dentists in a specific network. Depending on options in your area, an HMO could be a very suitable solution. A drawback of HMOs is dentist choice can be limited, however premiums are often lower.
- PPO (Preferred Provider Organization): are far more common than HMOs. A PPO has a preferred network list, but may also allow you to see dentists outside of the preferred network and still receive some coverage. Note that staying in network often results in reduced costs for the patient. PPOs offer the advantages of an HMO but with far more flexibility in dentist choice.
- Indemnity: lack any kind of preferred network list and simply cover a percentage of dental expenses at any dentist. While this offers a great deal of flexibility with dentist choice, indemnity plans lack any form of preferred provider discounts that accompany HMO and PPO plans.
Group vs Individual Plans
Individual Dental Plans: If you are without dental insurance for whatever reason, our dental plans for individuals are highly affordable and practical. With up to 100% coverage on exams and cleanings, Momentum Plans has the right individual dental insurance plan for everyone.
Group Dental Coverage: Cost is one of the primary concerns regarding whether a business decides to offer their employees dental benefits. Whether you’re a local business just getting started, or a large corporation, it is likely you won’t find the same value in any other plans out there. Momentum Plans offers insurance plans that are cost-effective and customizable.
Out of Pocket Costs vs. Insurance Costs
A key aspect of dental insurance to keep in mind is how much money it can save you. On average, yearly individual coverage is $370-$540 per year. To compare, it could cost you $370 or more for just two routine cleanings and a dental x-ray. As this example shows, even simple preventive care can cost as much as an entire year of dental insurance. Very common procedures such as a tooth filling can easily cost over $150. With dental insurance, many higher cost treatments are partially covered bringing down the total cost. Remember that nobody plans for a root canal and that dental ailments (much like physical ailments) are often unexpected emergencies requiring immediate treatment. Insurance protects you from the high costs of unplanned events.
Dental Insurance Promotes Overall Health
With most plans offering 100% coverage for routine checkups and teeth cleanings, you’re more likely to actually make an appointment for a regular checkup. By detecting problems early, preventive dental care can end up save you from costly dental procedures like a root canal or crown. Regular teeth cleanings can also play a significant role in preventing or diagnosing diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and oral cancer.
You can enroll in a Momentum dental plan online with our easy-to-use online enrollment form. There’s no waiting period for diagnostic and preventive dental services, so you can schedule an appointment for a checkup right after coverage takes effect.
Momentum Insurance Plans
As you can see dental insurance is worth it. The insurance cost is greatly offset if you ever need to use it for a major dental procedure. Dental insurance is an extension of your overall health insurance and can help you in case of a dental emergency. Review your dental needs such as your family size, family member ages, and carefully consider your dental history. A family history of cavities could easily lead to extensive procedures in the future and dental insurance can help pay those expenses.
Once you have figured out your insurance needs, the next step is to contact an experienced insurance provider. Momentum Insurance Plans Inc. is devoted to finding high quality plans for all their clients. Contact Momentum Insurance Plans today for an affordable and effective dental insurance plan to fit your needs.