Is Dental Insurance Worth It?

1. Is Dental Insurance Worth It? HOW DENTAL INSURANCE DIFFERS FROM REGULAR HEALTH INSURANCE Once you’ve hit your insurance deductible for the year, you don’t have to pay anymore, right? Not when it comes to dental insurance. Restorative dentist Daniel Balaze explained that the deductible for dental insurance works differently than your deductible for your health or auto insurance. “You have a deductible, yes,” he explained, but he said it’s more like a cost-sharing plan. Beyond the maximum your plan pays per year, you’ll have to pay for your dental work out of pocket. WHAT DENTAL INSURANCE ACTUALLY COVERS Dental insurance usually covers most of your routine costs of cleanings, x-rays, and the occasional filling or two. But say you slip and fall, knock a tooth out, and need an implant. “You are probably out of luck,” Blaze said. “At best, you get to pay half the costs up to your maximum. Then you are on your own. Dental insurance usually comes with a waiting period for major procedures. “Sometimes, the waiting period is waived if you show continuous dental insurance coverage,” Barnes said. But for many plans, if you need to have a cavity filled before the waiting period, for example, you’ll pay 100% of that cost and essentially get no coverage for that work. FOR MORE VISIT: www.emergencydentalservice.com