Dental Insurance for Individuals

There are different health insurance policies which we all buy, but they may not provide enough coverage for oral hygiene. As such it becomes necessary to buy a dental insurance, so as to safeguard your dental health. The cost of dental treatment is increasing with each passing year and it has become increasingly difficult to pay dental care bills and at the same time, manage finances. This is where dental insurance can help you, as you don't need to pay for the dental procedure from your pocket. The insurance company takes care of paying the bills. There are several schemes of dental insurance for individuals, and the main purpose of these plans is to reduce your financial burden in case of any dental problems you develop.

Dental Insurance Plans

The way health insurance and dental insurance work is the same. You need to pay a fixed premium each month, which varies from company to company and the kind of procedures you want to carry out, and in return you can qualify for certain dental procedures like cleaning, X-rays and certain other services. There are some plans which cover a wide range of services like dental implant, orthodontia and oral surgery, which require you to pay a higher premium. On the other hand there are some inexpensive insurance plans which cover only relatively simple and low cost dental procedures. There are several insurance companies like 'Delta Dental', 'SafeGuard Health Enterprises', 'United Concordia Companies, Inc.' and 'CAREington International' who provide affordable dental insurance, so you can choose from any one of them.

Indemnity Plan
If you go for indemnity dental insurance plan, you may need to pay a higher premium. Moreover, you may need to pay a deductible (a particular amount you need to pay upfront when you buy the insurance). The main advantage of this plan is that you can visit a dentist of your choice, and whatever cost is incurred, they are paid on the basis of fee-for-service. Fee-for-service means you need to pay the costs incurred first, and then a portion of that amount is reimbursed to you. The reimbursed amount is usually in the range of 50 to 80% of the total cost of the dental procedure. The amount which you get as a reimbursement varies on the kind of treatment received. There are several dental procedures like crowns, extractions, space maintainers, x-rays and fluoride treatment, which are covered under this plan.

Managed Care Plan
If you go for managed care plan, you have the advantage of paying lower premiums, besides no deductibles. Due to the lower premiums which you need to pay, this option can be a good dental insurance for seniors. However, the only disadvantage of managed care plan is that you have to choose a dentist from a list of dentists provided by the insurance company. Under this plan, there are two other plans - Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) and Preferred Provider Organization (PPO).

Preferred Provider Organization (PPO): This is actually a network, which provides its members with dental services till the time they opt to stay in the network. There are several dentists who prefer to be a part of this network. If you avail the services of any of the dentists in the network, you are not charged for the services offered. Rather the insurance company pays the doctor for the services which have been rendered.

Health Maintenance Organization (HMO): The Health Maintenance Organization plan is one of the cheapest individual dental insurance plans available. Routine check-ups and other preventive dental measures may be covered in full or you may need to make a small co-payment under this plan. There are several dentists who are a part of this plan, and the dentists are paid a fixed fee every month. Whether you go for a check up or not, the doctor would receive his or her fees.

Dental Insurance with no Waiting Period

When you buy a dental insurance plan, there is usually a waiting period, during which, if you have a dental problem, and you go for a dental procedure, you have to pay for it out of your pocket. During this period you can't claim any expense from the insurance company. However, there are certain procedures like root canals and crowns wherein there are no waiting periods. You can also opt to choose from either of the following two dental insurance plans that have no waiting period, so that you can get your dental procedure done once you buy an insurance plan.

Direct Reimbursement Plans: This plan is one of the most expensive dental insurance plans. One of the main features of this plan is that it does not have a waiting period. If you go for this plan, you will need to pay the dentist up-front for the services provided. The coverage is targeted towards employees, and they are expected to submit the bill to the employer, and then make claims. This is one of those plans which not only requires no waiting period, but also covers pre-existing conditions.

Dental Discount Plan: Compared to dental reimbursement plan, dental discount plan are comparatively cheaper, thereby allowing to save a lot of money on different procedures like braces, fillings and cleanings. You may need to pay a membership fee of US $100 to join this plan. An important feature of this plan is the no waiting period, and it ensures instant coverage for procedures like tooth extraction, fillings and dentures. There are full-coverage dental insurance plans as well, which you can take a look at.

While signing a deal with any insurance company, you need to make sure that you go through the terms and conditions carefully, so that you know the kind of services offered by insurance companies, and the premium you will need to pay.