American Dental Insurance

From LoveToKnow Insurance

American Dental insurance is a name utilized by several carriers of dental programs for individuals, families, and employers. Obtaining access to dental insurance in the US is often done through one's employer, although individual, group, or family plans are available. It's important to differentiate whether what the company is offering is true insurance, or a discount program, however, before enrolling. Consumers may want to browse the articles on the American Dental Association site, which is an unbiased resource with a wealth of information on dental care.

Choose your dental insurance carefully.

American Dental Insurance Companies

The following providers may be referred to as American Dental Insurance due to the use of American Dental in their company name.

  • American Dental Plan is a CompBenefits provider that offers a prepaid dental insurance that employers can offer to their employees and families as well as individual and group association plans. There have both high and low option plans, and they advertise additional savings for cosmetic and orthodontic procedures as well.
  • American Denticare offers employer, individual, and group insurance plans with optional orthodontic coverage.

Obtaining Dental Insurance in the U.S.

Obtaining dental insurance can be as easy as visiting your human resources office at your place of business. Dental insurance policies can be applied for at work or many insurance companies allow you to apply for policies online. Dental insurance companies that offer online applications include:

Insurance Coverage

Dental insurance provides basic dental coverage for you and your family. Dental coverage usually covers the cost for the two dental cleanings and yearly oral x-rays that are required each year. Additional coverage varies depending on the insurance company, but there is usually coverage for all things related to dental care, with the exception of cosmetic procedures, such as teeth whitening.

If you have children, pay particular attention to the coverage for special dental services, such as braces and sealants. Many insurance companies will pay for part of these orthodontia services, but you may have to wait for up to a year for reimbursement. In addition, you have to notify the insurance company of your intent to use these services in order for these services to be covered.

Choice of Dentist

Before you choose a dental plan, consider whether the insurance company includes your current dentist. Some insurance plans operate like health insurance PPOs and HMOs, requiring you to use dentists that are under contract with them. Using a dentist that is not on their list of providers may leave you footing the entire dental bill.

Co-Payments

Some dental insurance companies require co-payments at the time of service. The co-payment may vary with the type of service that is being performed. A routine office visit for a teeth cleaning may be $10-15, whereas a more expensive procedure, such as a tooth extraction, may double the amount of the payment. Check with your insurance company before you have any out of the ordinary procedures performed.

Dental Insurance and Discount Plans

Dental insurance plans usually require that individuals and families meet a deductible before coverage takes effect. Typical insurance policies for individuals range from $25 to $60 a month, and family dental insurance may be two to three times this amount. Discount plans, on the other hand, do not require that any deductibles are met and the amount that individuals and families pay per month is approximately one third of that of dental insurance providers.

Discount dental plan providers also operate differently in that the discounts are given at the time of service. The dentist who accepts the discount plan doesn't have to fill out claim forms in order to receive reimbursement for their services.

If you are lucky to have great dental health and are single, discount dental plans may be perfect for you and your budget. On the other hand, if you have a family with young children, it may be more cost effective to have an insurance policy that offers more comprehensive coverage.

Some discount dental plan companies include:

Conclusion

It is easy to obtain dental insurance for you and your family. Dental insurance can either be acquired through your current employer or if you are self employed, through insurance companies that offer policies online. Pay attention to what is being offered- whether they are discount dental plans or dental insurance plans. The difference between these can be costly, especially if you will require oral surgery, expensive braces, or dentures.

Finally, the Internet offers you opportunities to scout for the best prices on insurance. Take advantage of this and look for insurance policies that offer the most coverage, the lowest deductibles and affordable pricing.


 


Comment on American Dental Insurance



(Displayed with your comment)                        (Will not be displayed)
Verification Code:   
    

Insurance Categories
LoveToKnow Tools
More Articles