Tips for Finding the Best Dental Insurance

Dental insurance is essential for your overall health and well-being routine. It can help make everything from preventative dental care to more complex procedures more affordable. However, many different options are available, so it can be tricky to figure out which is the best dental insurance for you. Keep reading to learn more about various insurance types and who can benefit most from which.

Consider Your Needs

While basic preventative care (such as teeth cleanings, dental exams, and X-rays) is essential for everyone, regardless of age or other issues, people of different ages have different dental needs. For example, children may require things like sealants, fluoride treatments, and braces. Adults may require a variety of specific treatments, such as root canals, wisdom tooth removal, veneers, fillings, and crowns. In addition to the regular treatments an adult would need, seniors may require tooth extractions and dentures.

Determine the Best Dental Insurance Type

You should understand the basics of different dental insurance types before choosing one. While most of them cover preventative care, other important details differ in each of them.

Dental HMO Plans

Dental HMO stands for dental health maintenance organization (HMO). These are among the lowest cost plans you can get. They also have fewer out-of-pocket charges and lower monthly premiums than most other plans. However, dental HMO plans require you to visit dentists within their network.

Dental PPO Plans

Dental PPO stands for dental preferred provider organization (PPO). These are typically more expensive than HMO plans and have higher out-of-pocket costs and monthly premiums. However, the higher prices allow more flexibility as those covered by PPO plans can also visit dentists outside the network.

Indemnity Dental Plans

Otherwise known as fee-for-service plans, indemnity dental insurance is more traditional than the other two types. People covered by indemnity plans get reimbursed for a percentage of the cost of dental expenses covered under the plan. This is referred to as coinsurance. When you’re covered by this type of plan, you can choose to visit any dentist or provider.

Understand the Terms of Your Coverage and Costs

Just as you shouldn’t get car or home insurance without understanding the fine print, you shouldn’t sign up for dental insurance without understanding the terms of your coverage and costs. Follow these steps to ensure you choose the right dental insurance for your specific situation.

Review the benefits
Review the fine print
Understand the difference between in-network and out-of-network providers
Understand the difference between individual and family plans
Check the plan’s annual maximum caps