Do Health Insurance Plans Cover Dental Care?

Before the 70’s, proper dental care was still affordable and every family could easily make adjustments to their budget in order to avail of dental services. Traditionally speaking, this is the main reason why dental care is not part of basic health care plans.

After the 1970’s, the dental fees started to rise. Many companies, then, started to include dental coverage in their employees’ medical insurance plans. Several companies created separate dental insurance plans for their staff. However, it should be noted that non-cosmetic dental work that resulted from an accident is covered by most health plans. Many insurance carriers will pay for the hospital room and other expenses related to the dental procedure when a patient is admitted. For example, some individuals need to be confined after an operation of an impacted wisdom tooth.

Another reason why dental care is not part of the standard health plan is because insurance providers view it as cosmetic, to a certain degree. Yes, toothaches are painful but they are often not a matter of life and death. A separate dental plan will cover regular checks, prophylaxis or cleaning, orthodontic work and x-rays. If you follow the dentist’s recommendation to visit twice a year, it’s possible to have the insurer pay for the entire cost of the consultation.

Another distinct feature of a dental care plan is that it allows you to enjoy the full value of the policy while you are enrolled in it. Moreover, insured individuals are encouraged to go more often to the dentist so that they can avail of the full benefit of the coverage. People who dislike paying for dental services should avail of a dental care plan.

There are several options to choose from. Basic plans often pay for the partial cost of some procedures namely, general maintenance of the teeth, root canal procedure, and fillings, when needed. Sometimes, the basic policy can even pay for the full amount, depending on the service that was availed of. More elite plans have extensive coverage like oral surgery, orthodontics, periodontics and oral prosthetics. In addition, general cleaning, consultations, tooth and bridgework, and fillings are also part of the coverage. Each insurance provider can define their policy accordingly. A basic plan wouldn’t normally cover types of work that require the oral structure to be modified. However, it is possible for a basic dental care plan to shoulder half of the total cost, for instance. This means that the individual still has to pay for the remainder of the expense. Confirm with different dental care providers before purchasing a plan.

The cost for obtaining a good dental plan also varies. If you are looking to find something cheap, then most probably, the benefit of the plan would also be small. Comprehensive policies are expensive, costing up to several hundred dollars annually, but the coverage can reach up to a thousand dollars. This might be a good investment for individuals who are conscious about taking good care of their teeth and who would like to have several dental procedures done.