Compare Dental Insurance
Most Common Dental Insurance Options
Compare dental insurance types before you make a decision.
Dental insurance requires an investment, and to make sure you pay for something that will really benefit you, you have to carefully choose the most suitable dental insurance type for you.
Most dental insurance providers offer the same packages. The bigger choice you have to make is which type of dental insurance you need, a PPO plan, a reimbursement plan, or an indemnity plan.
Learn more about the different types below :
Three Main Types of Dental Insurance
- Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) Dental Insurance Plans
- Direct Reimbursement Plan
- Indemnity Dental Plans
1. Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) Dental Insurance Plans
Preferred Provider Organization or PPO dental insurance plans are very popular nowadays.
These are plans that allow you to choose your own dentist, with some difference when you go to a dentist that belongs to the same PPO network and to a dentist that is not part of the network.
If you decide on a PPO plan, you have to check two things: the size of the network of dentists and the dental services that are covered. You won’t have a problem with this setup though since a lot of dentists also like to join PPO plans because they are also beneficial to them. Just choose a plan with a large dentist network so you can take your pick among all the general dentists and specialists.
In this plan, you will be given a maximum limit of benefits you will use up for the entire year. You can go to any dentist for any procedure, with no need to get a referral.
2. Direct Reimbursement Plan
A direct reimbursement plan is easy to identify. As the term implies, it is a dental insurance plan wherein the insurance provider will reimburse you for the expenses you spent on your plan.
This is very common among employer-sponsored dental insurance setups. This, however, means that you need to pay for your dental care expenses in full at first. The amount that will be reimbursed by the insurance provider is already a predetermined portion of the costs, so you know which part you pay and which part they pay.
There are several advantages to getting this kind of plan, despite the fact that you can only seek treatment if you have the funds.
But when you compare dental insurance types, direct reimbursement plans are so convenient, making them sometimes the more preferred choice. First of all, these plans allow you to choose any dentist with no restrictions. Also, you do not have to pay deductibles or monthly premiums, unlike in PPO plans. The similarity is that both sets yearly maximum spending, so you have to plan your visits to the dentist.
This kind of plan also eliminates one rather inconvenient feature of traditional insurance plans: the waiting period. Since you can pay for your own procedure, you can seek treatment at any time. The only thing you have to worry about is when the money will be reimbursed to you.
3. Indemnity Dental Plans
When you compare dental insurance plans, don’t forget to include indemnity dental plans. These plans are usually called fee-for-service.
Like the direct reimbursement plans, an indemnity plan allows you to choose your preferred dentist. In indemnity plans, you will be given a fixed amount as well as a percentage which the insurance provider will cover if you seek dental treatment.
The insurance provider will pay whichever amount is lower. This may not be the most beneficial type of dental insurance coverage but it is simpler and thus a bit more advantageous over traditional dental insurance types.
Why Consumers and Dentists Don’t Like HMO Plans
There is another type of dental insurance, but whenever dental insurance options are compared, this particular type usually comes last. This is the HMO plan or Health Maintenance Organization plan.
This plan works a bit like PPO plans but it does restrict you to choose a dentist only within the HMO network. You are to choose a single general dentist to serve as your primary care provider, and you can only go to that dentist for treatments to enjoy the coverage offered by the plan.
If you want to change dentists, you would have to submit a formal application. If you need to see a specialist, you will have to get a referral from your primary care provider.
Dentists don’t like HMO plans much because they get paid a certain amount that is disproportional to the services they render. This means you have a limited number of dentists to choose from. This is the main problem for HMO plans when you compare dental insurance plans.
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