Dental discount plans are something you may have heard about as a way to help pay for dental care. How do they lower your costs at the dentist? Here’s a quick primer.
Dental discount plans provide an alternative to dental health plans. At a time when many Americans cannot get insurance benefits, discount dental plans have become an attractive and affordable option.
The difference is that with insurance you pay a premium — monthly or annually — to get coverages for various dental procedures. When you have the work done, you usually need to pay a deductible and a copayment, while the insurance company pays the rest. There can be restrictions including when benefits start and the total amount (maximum) that the plan will pay per calendar year. The maximum can be reached pretty quickly, given the current costs of dental care, and then you’ll be required to pay in full the rest of the year.
Dental discount plans do not pay your dental provider directly. What happens is that you sign up for a membership in a plan and pay an annual fee. Dentists in your region participate in the plan network. After you get your dental work done, just show your membership card and pay the discounted fee. In fact, you could save anywhere from 10 to 60 percent on most dental procedures. Root canals, cleanings, examinations, x-rays and much more can receive discounts.
You can usually start using your membership right away after approval, and plans are available for individuals, families and groups.
It’s easy to find a plan — and find a good dentist who participates — in your area by going to a comparison site. These sites make it easy to compare the different dental discount plans in your area, apply, pay and print your membership card online. If you have a dental emergency, or just need to get service soon, this can be a good option.
There’s no reason to pay full price on dental work, or avoid getting it altogether when you have alternatives like discount dental plans.
