Dental Insurance
Summary
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Whether you are considering dental insurance on your own, or as part of a benefits package offered by your employer, dental insurance comes in the same varieties as health insurance. Indemnity plans, Managed care plans, a PPO type plan. However, the philosophy on which dental insurance was created is somewhat different than health coverage for the rest of your body and so is the coverage.
In general, dental insurance covers four areas. How benefits are accessed differs among indemnity (fee-for-service), managed care, and PPO type plans.
Whether treatments need to be pre-authorized, and whether you will have to deal with bills and additional payments, depends on the type of plan.
If you get dental insurance from an employer, a Summary Plan Description will describe the basic features. If you leave work, you have the right to continue dental coverage under COBRA.
Pre-existing health conditions do not affect dental insurance. On the other hand, there is usually a waiting period for extensive work.
If you can get dental insurance, we recommend that you seriously consider it. Many health conditions will affect teeth or gums at one time or another. Neither individual or group dental insurance plans ask about your health condition. Check with your doctor or your disease specific non-profit organization to find out how your condition impacts your teeth and mouth. Our calculator will help you determine whether it is.
