Paying for dental care should not be stressful. That is why many practices accept insurance. Quite a few even have their own in-house discount plan. But since you cannot use those two provisions at the same time, you might wonder which is better. This blog post explains some pros and cons of dental insurance and dental discount plans.
Dental Insurance
There are a few different types of dental insurance, but many plans are PPO in nature. An average PPO policy offers some outstanding benefits:
- Preventive care is usually 100% covered.
- Restorative care may be 50 – 80% covered.
- You can use your benefits at virtually any dental practice. You could even visit specialists without first getting a referral.
Despite their perks, dental insurance plans do often come with some drawbacks. For example, you might have to wait several months before certain services are covered. There is also an annual maximum that puts a cap on how much money the insurance company will pay out in a calendar year.
Dental Discount Plans
A dental discount plan is usually managed by a specific dental practice or a private third-party company. In exchange for a set fee, you may have access to some desirable advantages:
- You may need to pay nothing out of pocket for preventive care.
- You can enjoy a discount on virtually all other services, including those that are not covered by traditional insurance.
- In many cases, a dental discount plan costs less than normal dental insurance.
- There is no waiting period and no annual limits.
There are a few downsides to dental discount plans. For example, you can only use it in certain practices. If you need restorative care, your discount will likely be much less than it would be if you used traditional dental insurance.
Which Should You Choose?
Neither insurance nor a dental discount plan is necessarily the “better” option. It all depends on your circumstances. If your teeth are in pretty good shape, and you have a dental practice that you are loyal to, it might help you save money if you sign up for their discount plan. On the other hand, if you travel a lot or anticipate that you will need major restorative procedures, dental insurance might be more suitable for you.
Whichever option you choose, you can look forward to enjoying top-quality oral healthcare at a reasonable price!
Meet the Practice
The specialists and general dentists in our practice provide a full range of oral health services in a modern, welcoming environment. We understand that many of our patients are concerned about financing, so we welcome insurance. We also offer the Essential Dental discount plan. To learn more about how we can help you save money on a healthy smile, contact our Enfield office at 860-856-6928.