Discount dental plans are fast becoming the number one alternative to traditional dental insurance. With more than 108 million Americans currently without some form of dental care coverage, it is more important than ever before that we discuss the benefits of discount dental plans.

Traditional dental insurance is virtually unaffordable if not provided by an employer. Therefore, individuals and families must have an alternative. For many, the perfect alternative is a discount dental plan. Discount dental plans offer flexible, convenient coverage that dental insurance policies lack. They’re also very affordable.

Top 5 Discount Dental Plan Benefits:

1) Affordable

Discount dental plans are considerably more affordable than traditional dental insurance. A typical individual discount dental plan will cost you around $79.95, while a family plan will start at around $120. In a report released in 2005 by the National Association of Dental Plans, the average monthly premium paid for individual HMO dental insurance(Traditional) was nearly $16/month, or about $192/year, compared to even more($288/year) for individual PPO dental insurance and a whopping $372/year for individual indemnity insurance. As traditional dental insurance rates continue to rise at astonishing rates, discount dental plan rates do not. In fact, the NADP states, “Discount dental plans have become an economical and important alternative to combat the rising cost of health care. They are a cost-effective vehicle for millions of under-served consumers to improve their access to dental care.”

2) No Health Restrictions

Unlike some dental insurance providers, discount dental plan providers do not impose sometimes unfair health restrictions on members. In other words, you will receive the discount afforded to you according to your discount dental plan’s fee schedule if you have health problems or not. It is not uncommon for lower income people to suffer from untreated ailments, thus making a discount dental plan the only option in some cases.

3) No Paperwork to Fill Out

Nobody likes arriving at the dentist only to spend 15 minutes filling out lengthy medical history and claim forms. With discount dental plans the only paperwork you fill out is the paperwork required to purchase your plan. Claim forms don’t even enter the equation.

4) Quick Activation

If you’ve ever tried to enroll with an insurance provider, you know that the wait can be unbearable – especially if you’re in immediate need of insured care. Discount dental plans, on the other hand often activate within 1-3 days, depending on the provider you enroll with. Within this time period, a discount card is mailed out to you, and you are often provided with immediate access to plan information, including fee schedules, and local participating dentists.

5) Direct Access for Individuals, Families, and Groups

Traditional dental insurance is rarely directly accessible to the general public – in terms of either policy or expense. However, discount dental plans are available directly to the general public. You can access and enroll in a plan right over the web in most cases. This is true for individuals, families, and groups alike. In fact, one of the largest segments of dental plan enrollees belongs to small businesses who find traditional dental insurance unaffordable.

The National Association of Dental Plans (NADP) considers discount dental plans as a viable, cost-effective alternative: “With an estimated 45 percent of Americans not having any type of dental coverage, and the dental insurance marketplace offering few, affordable dental products for individuals, discount dental plans are an attractive answer to the need to reduce consumer out-of-pocket costs and increase access to care.”



By: Cory Kemp

About the Author:

There are many insurance companies offering dental care plans nowadays. It could either go together with your medical insurance or you have the option to choose which insurance company to get your plan from. Whichever you choose to do, it is important to know first the basics about dental care plans so you will be able to make the right decision and not have any regrets.

First, let us see why dental care plans are a must.

Having the right dental plan can make dental care affordable. Dental care could be quite costly but if you have a dental plan, there is a way for you to get the treatment you need even if the cost could be quite high. Also, the right insurance can help prevent illness because plan holders are usually encouraged to make the most out of their insurance by going to the dentist for regular check ups. This way, your dental needs are monitored closely and any kind of dental illness could be detected right away. Financial health could also be protected by dental plans. In cases wherein accidents occur and a person needs to undergo immediate dental treatment like surgeries and other procedures, having a dental plan will keep the cost of the treatment down and the patient could get the treatment with less delays due to financial constraint.

There are three basic things that are included in dental care plans – preventive and diagnostic dental care, basic dental care and procedures, and major dental care. With preventive and diagnostic care, dental plans cover basic dental costs meant to prevent dental diseases or problems such as cleaning and regular checkups. This is the coverage inclusion that is considered as the most important not only because it help prevents dental diseases but also because it encourages plan holders to seek regular checkups thus making the most out of their insurance.

Basic dental care and procedures include fillings, tooth extractions, fixing chipped teeth, and other basic procedures. There are other dental plans that cover additional procedures like root canals. Major dental care, on the other hand, includes dental surgeries, orthodontics, denture work and other expensive dental procedures. For basic and major dental care, some insurance companies do not cover the whole cost of the procedure but only a portion of the service fee. So in this case, it is best to check and compare different dental plans to see which could offer the best coverage on these types of dental care procedures because they are the ones that most likely to be costly.

Another factor that plan holders could consider is the yearly maximum benefits. Most dental insurance policies set a maximum yearly dollar amount to cover for dental care needs. If a plan holder goes over that maximum amount, then he or she will have to pay for the exceeding amount. But if ever the plan holder does not maximize that amount, the remaining amount not used within a year will not be carried over to the next year.

With all these basic information at hand, you will be able to have an idea what to look for in a dental insurance. Determine first your dental needs, check insurance plan policies, and then decide which will suit you best.



By: Puripong Koomsin

About the Author:

Joanne B asked:


I am a low-income resident of Los Angeles who needs immediate dental care. I would like to know of low cost or no cost dental plans/insurance for people in my area.