Useful Guide to Understanding How Dental Insurance Works

Dental and oral health is incredibly important to your overall health as a person. Unfortunately, paying for things like braces, fillings, regular cleanings and x-rays can add up over time. Thankfully, dental insurance exists and can help you manage and afford these costs. If you are looking to get the top Dental Implants in Colorado Springs to fix up your teeth, the price-tag might seem daunting.

While you might know to find a plan that you can afford and might know a bit about the process, there is a good chance you aren’t fully aware of how dental insurance works. You need to understand what is covered, how much it costs, how the billing works, and even the different types of dental insurance.

Without any further ado, this article is going to serve as a useful guard to help you understand how dental insurance works.

What is Covered by Dental Insurance?

The first thing you need to understand about dental insurance is being aware of what it covers. Generally, things like annual checkups, cleanings, fillings, root canals, crowns, bridges, and other necessary procedures are normally covered. Of course, the exact things covered will vary from plan to plan.

However, simply because these are covered doesn’t mean they are 100% covered. This depends on the type of procedure being done and differs depending on your plan. In general, 100% of preventive and routine procedures like cleanings and checkups will be covered. Around 80% of basic procedures like fillings are covered, while 50% of major procedures like bridges are covered.

So while insurance doesn’t make everything free, it can drastically reduce what you are responsible for paying. Also, many dental insurance plans have annual maximums they will pay and if you go over these amounts, you will pay out of pocket until next year.

How Much Does Dental Insurance Cost?

Another thing that is crucial in understanding dental insurance is to know what it costs. While it varies, many individuals pay around $50 a month or so in premiums for their dental insurance. In some cases, a deductible may also be required. Some will get their dental insurance through work, while others will simply choose their plan from the market.

In addition to knowing how much dental insurance costs you, it is also valuable to understand how you actually use it. Some plans will have you pay for the services at the time, and then get reimbursed later on, while others will allow for the dentist to directly bill your insurance company, without having to do the work yourself.

What are the Different Types of Dental Insurance?

It is also important to know that there are different types of dental insurance. These include Preferred Provider Organizations (PPO), Dental Health Maintenance Organizations (DMHO), Point of Service (POS), and many others. Each has different rules and terms that you should familiarize yourself with.

The right plan for your friend might not always be best for you, so be sure to consider multiple options before deciding. Each has different benefits and drawbacks depending on your needs. For example, a DMHO plan requires you to see an in-network dentist for discounted rates and generally has lower premiums, while PPOs will be more expensive but have more flexibility in terms of who you can see affordably. Be sure to consider your needs and preferences before choosing, as well as those of your family members.

In conclusion, we hope that this guide has been able to help you understand a little more about how dental insurance works. While it is far from an exhaustive list, knowing what is covered, what the costs are, and knowing the different types of insurance are crucial to building your understanding of dental insurance.