Dental Insurance Plans Vs. Discount Dental Plans

Dental Insurance Plans vs. Discount Dental Plans

With the growing cost of healthcare, having sufficient health coverage is becoming more and more crucial to everyday life. The same goes for dental care. Because there are so many companies offering different dental plans and dental insurance it is important to learn as much about the different types of dental coverage available. Just like with health insurance, there are two main types of dental insurance plans - the PPO (preferred provider organization) and the HMO (health maintenance organization). An alternative to dental insurance is the discount dental plan.

The Dental PPO

In a dental PPO insurance plan, there is a list of "preferred" providers that will work with that particular insurance provider. Patients covered by the PPO plan are able to choose their dental care professional from the list, or network. Dental PPO insurance plans can help patients regulate the costs associated with dental care and emergencies.

Usually, PPO dental insurance plans have a deductible of $50 to $100 with a yearly maximum amount of funds allocated for dental care. Additionally, most dental plans will only cover a specified percentage of each treatment. Typically, a dental PPO plan will cover 80%-100% of preventative measures such as cleaning, check-ups, x-rays, and fluoride treatments. For major care, included but not limited to, crowns, bridgework, and dentures, the plan will usually cover only about 50%.

Dental HMO Plans

HMO medical plans have had much negative coverage associated with them. These plans are much better suited for medical treatments rather than dental treatments because of the low level of coverage. The American Dental Association (ADA) has recently noted that HMO dental plans do not sufficiently cover even preventative dental care. Because HMOs generally do not cover a sufficient amount of dental care services, many dentists avoid dealing with HMO plans.

Discount Dental Plans