Do
you
really
need
dental
insurance?
Many
of
us
ask
this
question
about
all
insurance
in
general.
While
I
am
a
firm
advocate
of
insuring
against
loss
you
might
not
need
to
buy
dental
insurance
if
you're
young
and
healthy,
have
no
dental
problems
and
only
go
to
the
dentist
twice
a
year
for
cleaning.
The
cost
of
insurance
and
copayments
might
very
well
be
more
than
the
cost
of
the
cleanings.
However,
if
you
are
not
a
healthy
person
or
have
had
a
rough
dental
history,
you
might
very
well
want
to
purchase
dental
insurance
or
join
a
dental
discount
plan.
Dental
procedures
can
be
very
expensive.
Even
with
fluoride
in
our
water
millions
of
Americans
each
year
have
cavities
filled,
root
canals
preformed
and
teeth
extracted.
There
are
many
factors
that
effect
the
health
of
our
teeth.
Some
are
as
simple
as
dental
hygiene
(brushing
teeth
properly).
Others
factors
like
stress,
personal
habits
and
nutrition
can
also
play
a
role
in
the
health
of
our
teeth.
Even
under
the
best
of
conditions
most
people
will
be
faced
with
dental
expenses,
beyond
simple
cleaning,
sooner
or
later.
Listed
below
are
some
different
types
of
dental
programs.
Dental
Insurance
-
Discount
Programs
Dental
Indemnity
Insurance
These
are
the
traditional
fee-for-service
insurance
plans.
You
pay
a
monthly
premium
to
an
insurance
company
and
in
return
it
covers
a
portion
of
your
dental
expenses.
Some
typical
features
of
these
plans:
In
general,
an
indemnity
plan
will
pay
100
percent
of
the
costs
for
preventive
services,
80
percent
for
common
restorative
services,
and
50
percent
for
major
treatments,
such
as
crowns
and
orthodontics.
For
more
information
on
dental
plans
available
in
your
area
visit
our
specialist
site
below.
Dental
Preferred
Provider
Organizations
Another
true
insurance
plan,
a
PPO
falls
somewhere
between
an
indemnity
plan
and
a
dental
HMO.
A
group
of
dentists
agrees
to
provide
services
at
a
deeply
discounted
rate,
giving
you
substantial
savings
-
as
long
as
you
stay
in
their
network.
Unlike
the
more
restrictive
DHMO,
though,
you
can
go
out
of
network
and
still
receive
some
benefits.
Some
typical
features
of
these
plans:
-
Monthly premiums
- Annual dollar cap
- You must stay within the approved network of dentists or pay higher deductibles and co-payments
- Your average monthly cost: $40
- Companies selling these plans are regulated by state insurance departments.
HMO
Dental
Insurance
These
insurance
plans,
also
known
as
"capitation
plans,"
operate
like
their
medical
HMO
cousins.
Some
typical
features
of
these
plans:
Dental
Discount
Plans
Discount
dental
plans
are
a
lot
like
coupon
books
where
you
get
a
percentage
off
when
you
shop
at
participating
merchants.
With
a
dental
plan,
you
don't
actually
get
coupons,
but
you
must
go
to
a
dentist
who
has
agreed
to
participate
in
the
plan
and
offer
services
at
a
discounted
rate
-
$450
for
a
crown
instead
of
the
standard
rate
of
$750,
for
instance.
For
individuals
and
families
discount
plans
seem
to
represent
the
best
value.
Some
typical
features
of
these
plans:
It's
important
to
keep
in
mind
that
a
discount
dental
plan
is
not
the
same
thing
as
an
insurance
policy.
You
are
purchasing
access
to
dentist
who
have
agreed
to
reduced
rates
for
their
services
and
therefore
you
must
use
dentist
within
the
network
