Discount Dental Plans

Discount dental plans are an attractive alternative to standard dental insurance plans.

What’s the difference? With regular dental insurance you pay a monthly or annual premium for which you receive coverage for a set range of procedures. While the insurer might pay 80 per of the fee for a checkup or cleaning, they’ll pay a lesser amount for more expensive procedures. Crowns, for example are covered to about 50 per cent of their cost.

Because of technological advances, composite or “white” fillings are increasingly covered these days, but most other “cosmetic” procedures are not. Some insurance companies also specify that they will only cover the “least expensive” procedure. In addition, insurance companies usually cap annual payments at between $1,000 and $1,500.

There are some very good dental insurance plans out there, with plans to fit almost every budget. However, one major drawback is the fact there’s a “waiting period” once you sign up for insurance before you can get treatment for anything other than preventive services like checkups and cleaning.

This is why many people faced by a sudden dental emergency like raging toothache or a damaged tooth look to discount dental plans which are NOT insurance plans.

Indeed, discount dental plans do have several striking differences to dental insurance. First, they work with a specified network of dentists that have agreed to provide services at discounted prices. Second, there’s no waiting period for treatment like there is with most insurance plans. Third, there’s no deductible or annual treatment limit.

The discounts are usually 10 to 60 per cent of the standard fee. Discounts are also available on certain cosmetic procedures like teeth whitening and veneers that most insurance plans don’t cover.

The biggest disadvantage with discount plans is that you must get treatment from a dentist on their approved list. This might mean parting company with your regular dentist if he or she does not offer discount services.

The average cost of discount plans varies by provider and location, but some plans  cost well under $100 a year. You can get a speedy quote online.

Costwise, some clients say discount dental plans can work out cheaper than dental insurance. However, dental insurance is cheaper if your boss is picking up the dime!

Some people have a discount dental plan in addition to their company or personal dental insurance to give them added flexibility and more comprehensive coverage options.