Basic dental care plans aren’t effectively an insurance but rather a ‘club’ that enables you to obtain discounted dental care from participating dentists. The level of discount is largely dependant on the monthly fee you pay but unlike dental insurance there is no limit to the amount of discounted treatment you can receive. One thing to check with dental care plans is the amount of local dental coverage (if any!). You can join a dental care plan for just a few dollars a month.

Indemnity Insurance Plans are a type of dental insurance whereby you pay the insurance company a fixed monthly fee who, in turn, will reimburse your dentist for services rendered. However, the dental insurance company doesn’t normally cover the whole cost with the policy holder be liable for 20 – 50% of the total cost. If you take out an indemnity plan you need to check the level of deductibles and the maximum amount the insurance policy will pay out in any given year. Also find out the length of any probationary period during which the dental insurance company won’t pay out and whether you are able to use your own dentist. Expect to pay around $14 to $26 per month.

One of the increasingly popular dental insurances is the direct reimbursement plans which are self funded by employer’s rather them paying dental insurance premiums. As a general rule the person receiving the dental care will pay the fee in full and reclaim all or part of the cost (depending on what level of cover their particular employer provides) from their employer. Annual benefits of this dental insurance option are usually capped with the capped level varying quite significantly from one employer to another.

Dental Insurance cont...

Dental insurance works in a very similar way to that of health insurance

Why Take out Dental Insurance

Many people have the debate of whether or not they should pay for dental insurance