Dental Insurance: A Good Thing?

Is Dental Insurance worth the Cost?

Tips from your local South End Boston Massachusetts Dentists. Call us today to schedule a cleaning.

Dental insurance has been around for a long time, but many people are confused about what it really is. I hope to clear some of that up.
It really is not insurance Dental insurance is not really insurance, rather it is a package of benefits that act as a discount towards your dental needs.

Many people assume that it will cover 100% of their dental work.For most of us, the word “insurance” carries certain expectations. If, for example, we are in a car accident we expect our insurance to cover the major repair costs of our car. Your car may be insured but your teeth are not.

Dental Insurance is generally a limited benefit provided to you by your employer. The benefits that it provides will depend on how much the employer (or the employee) pays in premiums. The more the premium, the better the benefit.

Dental Insurance is not what it used to be In 1984, when I first started practicing, most dental benefit packages offered $1,000 in covered benefits per year.

Now, many years later, most benefit packages offer the same $1,000 in coverage.

A $1,000 toward your dental needs may seem like a great benefit, but it is not what it used to be. Crown fees 20 years ago ranged from $200 to $400. Today, with new technology, techniques, new materials and inflation, crowns can average from $800 to $1,500. Yet, the benefits are the same. So, 20 years ago, your insurance would cover 3-5 crowns per year. Now they barely cover a single crown.

What to do So, how can you take advantage of the benefits that your employer is giving you?

• Change your attitude. Recognize that your dental insurance is only an extra benefit, not a true form of insurance. Any benefit to help defray the cost of your dental treatment is a good thing.

• Ask your dental office about the team member who handles the insurance. Get them to help you as much as possible to maximize your benefits. Be sure to have read your benefits manual before going to the dentist, and ask any questions that you might have.• Be sure you understand the positives and the negatives of your plan before you get any dental work done.

• Be aware that the dental office has no connection to your insurance company. The company will listen to your more readily than the dental office because you pay the premium. You will achieve more by dealing with the insurance company than your dentist can.

• Most dental offices will be happy to submit the necessary information to your insurance company to maximize your benefits.

• Most preventive procedures such as cleanings and x rays are usually well covered by most dental plans. Be sure to take advantage of this and see your dentist for preventive cleaning appointments.

It would be much better for the doctor/patient relationship if insurance companies were to make their benefits very clear to the consumer.

Unfortunately, it is a very competitive business, and the companies are more concerned with sales.

Call Tremont Dental In Boston’s South End at 617.424.0606 to schedule an appointment today. Email us here: Contact Us.

– Tremont Dental Care In Boston Massachusetts