What You Need to Know About Dental Insurance

While many companies offer dental insurance plans as part of their benefits packages, many Americans still do not have dental insurance coverage. For those that have it, dental insurance can help pay for preventative dental treatments and more intensive procedures. Here is what you need to know about dental insurance.

When people think about insurance, they often think that they can only get insurance once per year during the signup period. However, this is not true. Dental insurance does not work like other forms of insurance, and you can get dental insurance at any time. In most cases, it works on a yearly basis, so you will have your dental insurance for an entire year from the start date. That way, you can signup when you need to and get help. 

Dental insurance has several drawbacks in how it works. One of those drawbacks is waiting periods. Because of the way that dental insurance works, you may have to wait to use it in some cases. Most of the time, you can use it for basic services like dentist visits, but more complex procedures and services may involve a waiting period. 

Unlike health insurance, which has a minimum limit for coverage, dental insurance has a maximum limit for coverage. This means that you will be covered up to a certain amount. The amount depends on the services that are covered and usually lands in the $2,000 - $4,000 range. Once you hit the deductible, which is usually very low, your insurance will cover you for the most common procedures and some less common procedures until you reach the limit. Most people do not reach the limit until they need a highly-specialized procedure. 

Another thing to look for when choosing dental insurance is what procedures are covered. Dental insurance may not cover certain procedures. These are usually procedures that are expensive and highly-specialized or unnecessary. For example, getting veneers when your teeth are in good condition may not be covered since you don’t need them to function. Alternatively, getting a crown placed to fix a broken tooth may be covered since you need to treat the broken tooth. It all depends on the plan and the procedure that you need. 

Dental insurance tends to have a very low deductible. Many plans have a deductible that is $100 or less. This is because many of the procedures that you would spend that much on regularly are already covered by the plan. For example, regular dental visits are already covered so you don’t pay for them. This also ensures that your dental insurance is applicable for procedures that you need and that have a substantial cost. Even with the deductible being set so low, most people don’t reach it since the services that they use are fully covered from the beginning.

Dental insurance can seem a bit intimidating, but it is much simpler and more affordable than health insurance. If you have dental insurance, don’t let it go to waste. Call our office at (212) 982-5883 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. Use your insurance to get the quality care that you need.