Guardian Dental Network

One of the most important aspects of Guardian Dental insurance is the Guardian dental network. This is because the dental network of any insurance company determines how easy it will be for members to find a dentist within their plan.

The Guardian dental network is fairly large, with 90,000 providers within what Guardian Insurance calls its "Preferred Provider Organization Network." Guardian's dental coverage consists of two major network types, the preferred plan network (PPO) or the managed plan network (DHMO and Pre-Paid).

Guardian Insurance is a well-known and well-established insurance company founded in 1860 in New York under the name "Germania Life Insurance of New York." Since 1917, the company was named "The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America," and today it stands as one of the largest mutual life insurance companies in the country. Without private owners or stockholders, the company's strength comes from the fact that policyholders own the company, with any profits disbursed to policyholders in the form of dividends. This structure offers normal policyholders a valued stake in the company that maintains their dental health, motivating policyholders to reduce their own personal health costs as much as possible. For this reason, Guardian stands as a leader in the world of Insurance.

A PPO is a "Preferred Plan Organization," and a DHMO is a "Dental Health Maintenance Organization." The differences aren't always readily apparent. However the cost differences and convenience can often be strikingly different. A Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) is a dental plan that allows members to choose any doctor or any hospital of their choice. Members are encouraged to stay with dentists who are within the preferred network, because costs can be substantially less, usually just co-pay. However, if members require services from a specialist outside the plan, the plan will still cover up to 70 to 80 percent of the expenses. Going outside the plan can be expensive, but at least some coverage is still available under the PPO.

By contrast, the DHMO, or dental health maintenance organization, requires that members remain strictly within the plan's network of providers. Members must choose a "primary care physician," who must typically provide referrals to any specialists before the insurance plan will cover the service. Any service outside of the plan's network is usually not covered at all without prior approval from the insurance company, which is often a complicated approval process buried underneath a great deal of paperwork.

The Pre-Paid plan is typically a health plan where members pay a certain lump-sum into the plan at the start of the year, and this total covers co-payments and other "out-of-pocket" costs incurred throughout the year. Pre-Paid members are covered under the same network as DHMO members, but Pre-Paid often offers additional tax benefits depending on which state you live.

Guardian's preferred dental plan is called "DentalGuard Preferred." Within most states, policyholders will choose from the list of dentists within the "DentalGuard Preferred Network." However, due to state regulations, policyholders in select states need to check their dental card for which network is listed. Policyholders in Minnesota and Wisconsin may need to choose from the "Premier Dental Group," those in Oregon might need to choose from the "Dental Options Network," and those in Nevada may need to select from the "Diversified Dental or MasterCare Dents" networks.

The DHMO/Pre-Paid network is called "Managed DentalGuard," and is operated by various subsidiaries of Guardian throughout the country. Managed Dental Care operates the network in California, Managed DentalGuard, Inc operates in Texas and New Jersey, and First Commonwealth operates the dental network throughout the Midwest including Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Missouri, and Indiana. Any members under the DHMO or Pre-Paid plans should always verify that their preferred dentist is within the network before obtaining dental services.

There are a number of impressive benefits that Guardian policyholders will enjoy when they are covered by this dental health plan:

• Members who are covered by Guardian will enjoy some tremendous savings on their dental health services. If members make remain within the 90,000 provider network, their costs will average about 30 percent less than normal.
• The Guardian dental plan, especially the PPO, is structured to provide flexibility and choice.
• Guardian covers special dental needs as well, including implants, cancer detection, periodontal services, fluoride treatments and other services that serve to ultimately reduce long-term dental health costs.
• Guardian claims an average three-day turnaround on all claims, a rare promise within the health insurance industry.
• Guardian's patient surveys report an impressive 97 percent satisfaction rate by members who seek services from dentists within the Guardian network.

If you live within a region of the country where Guardian offers services, check with your employer to determine whether or not they offer employee benefits through Guardian. If it does, all you need to do is switch your employee dental health benefit to the Guardian plan. If your employer does not offer Guardian's dental insurance, submit a request with your human resources department to consider Guardian as an insurance carrier for employees. Make sure to forward them information on Guardian's employee benefits products. Once your company does offer Guardian, you are sure to enjoy one of the best dental health insurance products in the country.

• Roadside Assistance Plans
• Full Coverage Dental Insurance
• Low Cost Motorcycle Insurance
• Car Accident Reports

• Free Medical Release Forms
• Sample Medical Release Form
• Guardian Dental Insurance
• Insurance Sample Cancellation Letter
• Sears Appliance Extended Warranty

• Affordable Family Dental Care: An Interview with Dr. Richard Klich of United Concordia Dental
• AARP Dental Insurance
• Dental Plans PPO Standard
• Guardian Dental Plan
• Guardian Dental Providers