Is Dental Insurance an Expense You Can Afford Not to Have?

For many families not having dental insurance is a serious mistake. Especially for families with multiple children, dental insurance can represent a substantial yearly savings. can be confusing however. What is the difference between the varied dental insurance plans offered? Are cheap dental plans worth anything? Are there affordable dental plans out there? By understanding a few basics of how dental insurance is offered and how the plans work, you can go into this process better prepared to choose the best coverage for you and your family.

What are Full Coverage Dental Plans?

Basically, a full coverage dental plan includes all normal dental procedures. The provisions may limit the number of cleanings you can have per year to two, but other than that, all other services and procedures will be covered. This is important, because these twice a year cleanings can save your teeth from serious problems that require fillings, root canals, and even extractions.



A full coverage dental plan is different than the discount dental health plans you may see advertised. In this scenario, users purchase a membership in the plan and receive a discounted rate from member dentists. With regular dental insurance plans you pay a premium, go to the dentist of your choice, and the policy pays some or all of your dental bills.

When you purchase full coverage for your dental needs, you choose an insurance company, and you and the company enter into an agreement about what your insurance policy will entail. You will need to pay the premium in order to keep the policy. You will receive an explanation of benefits which tell you what is and is not covered. Many people mistakenly assume that "full coverage" means that everything is covered. This is not always the case. Claims are sent to the insurance company, and you pay a portion of the claim as a co-pay or deductible.

Common Coverage

Most full coverage dental plans cover some basic things such as basic and minor dental care. The cheap dental plans you see may not offer basic dental care, but will cover larger procedures. Or the opposite may be true. The most affordable dental plans may cover only basic care procedures. You need to carefully shop for your dental care plans to make sure you get what you need!

What Are Basic Care Needs?

Basic care dental needs are those procedures like cleanings and yearly x-rays. Most policies will cover checkups and cleanings, because the insurance company realizes that these procedures may eliminate the need for more expensive procedures in the future. If you have full coverage, you will likely have coverage for basic care needs but never make assumptions about what is included in your policy as the extent of coverage can vary widely.

Continue to: What is Covered in Dental Insurance Plans?