Private Dental Insurance – A Comprehensive Discussion
It is no secret that healthy teeth are generally considered important in the United States. While other parts of the world may value white teeth less, American’s have managed to make it a social priority. Looking at the glittering white teeth of celebrities on the television stands to further emphasize this point. It is therefore ironic that the majority of American’s despise going to the dentist almost as much as they can’t afford to go. This is why private dental insurance has become increasingly important.
What Is Private Dental Insurance?
For some lucky individuals, their companies provide both health and dental coverage. The need for a private health and dental insurance option is superfluous. They live life dancing in the clouds, their every need and want met by their company.
For the rest of us, we are left with few alternatives. In the world that we live, private health insurance is one of the few remaining options to have the pearly whites that we so desire. It is no secret that dental work is expensive. If it weren’t, we wouldn’t see our neighbor, the dentist, cruising around in his fancy sports car.
That’s not to say that they don’t deserve what they are paid. They do. The fact of the matter is that they provide a service that all of us need. It is our misfortune that we cannot afford to pay the price they require.
Private health insurance is the median between what we need and what we can’t afford. The insurance company provides a contract in which we agree to a predetermined rate, in exchange for their assistance when we need dental work.
This arrangement isn’t entirely altruistic of the insurance company. With private pay dental insurance, you still end up paying for a large chunk of the cost of your dental work, regardless of whether you get it done or not. The personal dental insurance often includes co-pays and deductibles up to a maximum amount. So not only do you pay a monthly premium, but you also pay a portion of the work.
What this does however save you from is the exorbitant costs should you need some real work done on your teeth. If you require more than your everyday teeth cleaning, you may be facing upwards of several thousands of dollars to get your teeth fixed. This is where the private dental insurance can help you not break the bank.
What Are The Restriction On Private Dental Insurance Plans?
Similar to private health insurance, there are often built in restrictions for private dental insurance plans. The most common restriction is regarding major dental work (expensive dental work). If you know you are going to need major dental surgery, you cannot simply apply for dental insurance, pay the premiums for a month or two, and then hope that the insurance company will cover the cost of the procedure. The insurance company is in the business to make money. They are not here to provide you with a deep coupon for your immediate needs.
In order to recoup the cost of major dental work, the insurance company will often require that a minimum period of time pass before they will pay for your procedure. They aren’t going to let you occur a major cost, only to let your insurance expire shortly thereafter.
Is The Cost Worth Private Dental Insurance?
This is the age old question with private dental insurance. Will you be able to justify the cost of the insurance? If you are simply needing teeth cleaning every year, the insurance policy simply might not be worth it. If you have a history of cavities or root canals, you may want to consider individual dental insurance.
You need to do a careful analysis of what you anticipate your dental expenses to be, and then compare it to the premium and benefits of a private dental insurance plan. Be sure to accurately calculate the co-pay and deductible portion of the plan. You may find that private dental insurance is simply overkill.
Are There Alternatives to Private Dental Insurance?
There are a number of alternatives to private dental insurance, not all of them good. The best option of the bunch may very well be a fee for service plan. With this type of plan you pay a monthly fee to have the price of your dental work decreased. The monthly premium is often low enough that the bang for buck factor is still in your favor.
The problem with a number of private dental insurance alternatives is that many dentists will not accept these plans. Be sure to find out what your dental will accept before spending money on these alternatives.
Private dental insurance is almost a necessary evil in this world. Unless you are one of the lucky people that are handed life on a platter (I’m not bitter), than you are stuck looking for a dental insurance solution that fits their needs. Private dental insurance may be your only option. Best of luck affording it.
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