Dental Insurance
It is a common misconception that health insurance provides coverage for oral health care. Whilst it is true that some health insurance policies allow for the inclusion of dental coverage at a higher premium, the fact of the matter is that health insurance and dental insurance are two wholly independent industries.
Although independent of one another, there are a great deal of similarities between health insurance and dental insurance, the most obvious of which can be said to be lack of coverage. Like health insurance, dental insurance can be an expensive weight on your shoulders, especially if you have a large family requiring coverage. According to a CBS Healthwatch report that was given in 2000, for every 1 child who is lacking healthcare, there are approximately 2.6 children who are lacking dental care. On the whole, it is roughly estimated that approximately 100 million Americans lack any type of dental care insurance. Dental insurance is seen as secondary to health insurance by most Americans, and viewed as an 'extra' by most companies who provide their employees with benefits.
Another similarity between dental and health insurance is its preventive design. The idea behind having dental coverage or health coverage is the continual maintenance of oral health and total health respectively. Investing in preventive dental care has the potential of saving you a great deal of money in the long run if it helps to thwart costly dental procedures / issues.
Like healthcare, there are 4 major dental insurance plan categories from which to choose from. These include:
- Dental HMOs
- Indemnity Plans
- Preferred Provider Organizations
- Discount Dental Plans
The types of dental care that these insurance plans provide coverage for include (but are not limited to):
- Routine Care (Check-ups)
- Dentures / Dental Implants
- Gum Disease / Gingivitis
- Tooth Removal (Including Wisdom Teeth Extraction)
- Root Canals
- Crowns
- X-Rays
- Cavities
The costs associated with dental insurance are dependent on the extent of coverage you desire and the amount of oral care you require. If you select a basic dental discount plan and simply require 2 routine check-ups in a year, then you could end up paying as little as $90 - $100 for that year's coverage. If you are on the opposite side of the spectrum, however, and you have a large family or have oral health issues like root canals or tooth extractions, etc., you will find that your yearly costs are much higher.
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