Dental insurance review, why you should think ahead when getting dental insurance.

It may seem surprising that many people do not have dental insurance. Dental insurance benefits are not always offer though work so people do without until a major dental need arises. The problem with waiting until you need dental insurance is that by then it can be to let to get the type of dental insurance you want. People find out too late in order to stay with their dentist they may need to get a dental PPO plan.

However most dental PPO plans have long term waiting periods, so when not bought early on you may not get the coverages you are looking for. One thing I suggest is if you have a dentist that you do not wish to change find out what types of dental plans you would need in order to stay with their dental office. If you are with a dental office that only accepts PPO dental plans then you may want to think about getting a dental PPO plan now so you have a plan in place for your future dental needs whether it for preventive dental care or major dental care.

Getting the Facts Before You Buy Dental Insurance.

When shopping for dental insurance whether online or though an agent know all the facts about each type of dental plan before buying one. Mistakes happen when you are not clear on how a dental plan works. Buying dental insurance online is very easy and convenient but many times people do not read and understand just what it is they are buying. Before hitting the submit button are you sure you understand the terms of the plan.

Does the dental plan have waiting periods or yearly max dollar amount limitations. Is the plan in network dental providers only or can you go outside the network of dental providers. When is the plan effective. Did you call the dentist to confirm they are still accepting the dental plan in question? Is the plan you are reviewing a dental insurance plan or a dental discount plan? What are you dental needs and are you getting a dental plan that best fit them? Just taking the extra time to fully understand the dental plan you are buying will save you from headaches and being upset latter on.

Dental PPO plans let you choose your own dentist.

What Dental PPO and Indemnity plans have to offer. Dental PPO’s and Indemnity plans do let you choose your own dentist, for many people that can be a deciding factor on buying thoses type of dental insurance plans. For people that want to stay with their current dentist or to be able to choose their own dental provider these types of plans aloud for that.

Dental PPO and Indemnity plans are normally more costly then HMO’s dental insurance plans. Are dental PPO’s and Indemnity insurance plans worth the cost? The answer is yes. If you know your own dental needs and understand the plans terms and conditions many people are quite happy with their PPO plans. Trouble comes when you buy any dental plan without fully understanding the plans limitations.

Question: I have not been to the dentist in some time. I do not think I a have any dental issues going on since my teeth feel fine. However, I have been wanting to see the dentist for my basic dental care. Before I go see a dentist though I would like to get dental insurance that will make my preventive dental care free for me. What type of dental insurance plans should I be looking for.

Reply: If you are looking for a low cost dental insurance plan and do not mind staying with in a net work of dental office providers then you may want to look at dental HMO insurance plans. Most of them will offer free X-rays, office visits and cleanings.

Question: This past month I have been getting really bad acid reflux on an off. I take good care of my teeth but since I never had acid reflux so long before I am worried that it may start causing damage to my teeth. Is there any extra care I should be taking during this time?

Reply: Try and brush right after having any acid reflux that come up in your mouth and touches your teeth. The acid over time can wear down your tooth enamel.

If you can not brush then rinse out your mouth with water or drink a glass of milk as milk will help cut the acid

Normally this will not happen over night so if you have a short bout of acid reflux you should not have to worry about your teeth being effected by it.

Question: I have braces that have rubbers bands that connect my lower and upper jaw. I am told by my dentist to remove the rubber bands when I eat and to replace them every third day. I would like to know is it so bad if I do not take them off while I am eating? They are such a pain to take on and off all the time. Also can I just leave the ones I have in until the brake or something?

Reply: First let me say, I would advise against doing something other then what has been told to you by your orthodontic dentist. They are normally not in the habit of telling you to do things which are not necessary.

With that said: If you eat with the rubber bands on you run the risk of braking them and eating them. Also the reason why you have to change them so often is that over time they lose their tension which is what you need in order for them to work correctly

Question: I have yellow teeth with very week tooth enamel. This makes it very easy for my teeth to get cavities. Because I get cavities my teeth chip easy too. I think I am tired of all this hassle and want to just crown all of my teeth. So my question is how much would something like that cost and would dental insurance cover for you to have all your teeth crowned?

Reply: Most dental insurance plans do provide coverage for crowns. However read the dental insurance term and conditions so you know what the limits are. Some dental insurance plans will have waiting periods for crowns and max annual dollar limits making so you are not going to be able to get a full mouth of crowns in one year. Other dental insurance plan may max out the number of crowns you can have in a given year.

In addition, dentist will normally not just crown teeth that do not need to be crowned.

HMO refers to a dental health maintenance organization

These insurance plans, also known as “capitation plans,” operate like their medical HMO cousins. This type of dental plan provides a comprehensive dental care to enrolled patients through designated provider office.

A Dental Health Maintenance Organization (DHMO) is a common example of a capitation plan. The individual and family dentist is paid on a per capita (per person) basis rather than for actual treatment provided.

Participating individual and family dental offices receive a fixes monthly fee based on the number of patients assigned to the office. For that the dentist in the network have agree to the pricing fee schedule for the dental services as listed under the HMO plan details. When you can control cost your cost is normally less.

Question: I was told that I have three cavities in my molars two on top and one on the bottom. I do not have dental insurance. I am not in major pain but one of the cavities is hurting me on and off.

The dentist will not take a payment plan from any one. I was quoted 250.00 for all the filling needed but only have about 100.00. I would have to wait another two months before I would have 250.00 but that only if I do not spend my money during that time. Advise please.

Reply: You may want to review dental HMO insurance plans as they are low cost dental insurance plan options generally without waiting period. They will be able to help reduce your cost for dental care.

Question: I live in CA and it seems like there are many different dental insurance plans. I would like to know which plan is the best or which would do you suggest that people get.

Reply: To determine what is the best dental insurance plan for you depends on what you want in a plan.

If you looking for the lower cost plans then review the dental HMO or dental discount plans. If you want to stay with your own dentist maybe the PPO or Indemnity plans would be better for you.

Hard to say for sure without knowing some of your dental needs. I say review some of the plans we a have then if you have any questions please call our member service line we be happy to walk you though the different plans

Question: Is dental discount plan option good for a family? I would really like a low cost plan but are dental discount plans worth it?

Reply: Dental discount plans are good at reducing your dental cost. If you like the set discount costs that are listed for the services shown under the plan, then it should work well for you. The main thing is to make sure you have a dental provider that is taking the plan before buying one.
Many people do not do this then find out afterwords that there are no dentist or dentist they want to go to.

Question: I know I need to have two crown down. I may also need a root canal but the dentist is not 100 percent sure until he pulls off the old crown first. I do not have dental insurance right now and wonder would there be any benefits to me getting it before having this dental work started? My dentist told me that it may be too late since many plans have waiting periods for the type of dental work I need.

Reply: You dentist is right if you need to get a dental PPO plan they will normally have waiting periods.

Where as, dental HMO sometimes have waiting periods they generally do not, and dental discount plans do not have any waiting periods for dental services.

So it can depend on the type of dental insurance and or plan to whether or not you will have waiting periods for crowns.

Find out if your dentist take any of the plan types that do not have waiting periods or you may have to decide to either change dental office or pay for your crown cost on your own and keep your current dentist.

Question: What do you do if you have a compliant against a dental office? I think they are over charging me and my dental insurance. I do not really have a problem with the dentist work he does a really good job. The issue is that I being billed to much.

Do I complain to the dentist since the dental staffing in the office will not hear me out. Or do I talk to the dental insurance company to find out what is going on with my billing that I am being billed for.

Reply: You may want to start with the insurance company. Call up your dental insurance company find on the total on the claim being billed off to them.

Also find out your coverage amount and what the insurance company is paying. You need to know that information before going to the dental office saying they are in fact over charging you for your dental work.