Understanding the basics of dental
insurance and how it can benefit you.
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Different Dental Insurance Plans for Different Needs:
Consumers can choose from an assortment of dental benefits
plans that accommodate a variety of needs and expectations.
The following factors may influence the type of dental
insurance plan you purchase...
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Cleaning Your Teeth:
Replace your toothbrush every
three or four months or sooner if the bristles become frayed.
A worn toothbrush will not do a good job of cleaning your
teeth. Children’s toothbrushes often need replacing more
frequently than adults because they can wear out sooner...
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Dental Sealants:
Dental sealants
act as a barrier, protecting the teeth against decay-causing
bacteria. The sealants are usually applied to the chewing
surfaces of the back teeth (premolars and molars) where decay
occurs most often...
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Dentures:
If you’ve lost all of your natural teeth, whether
from periodontal disease, tooth decay or injury, complete
dentures can replace your missing teeth and your smile.
Replacing missing teeth will benefit your appearance and your
health...
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Dental Health:
Based on
information gathered during the 2001 American Dental
Association (ADA) annual session, dentists report that oral
bacteria, in some studies, have been associated with heart
disease, stroke, diabetes and the birth of pre-term, low-
birth- weight babies...
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Wisdom Teeth:
Wisdom teeth are a valuable
asset to the mouth when they are healthy and properly
positioned. Often, however, problems develop that require
their removal. When the jaw isn't large enough to accommodate
wisdom teeth...
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Tooth Decay:
Although tooth
decay has declined among young children as a group, it can
still be a problem for individual children, and even teens and
adults...
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Making Informed Choices:
The law mandates that consumers
with dental coverage receive a fully detailed patient
information handbook
-- a Description of Benefits -- that clearly outlines
coverage, limitations and exclusions...
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Choosing a Dentist:
Dental benefits plans can be
categorized by the options offered for selecting a dentist.
Some plans allow you the freedom to choose your own dentist...
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Paying the Dentist:
When choosing a
benefits plan, it is important to know who pays what to whom.
Dental plans can be categorized into three types based on the
compensation and treatment provided...
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All Dental Plans have their Limitations:
Today's health insurance, including your
dental plan, is designed to help you get the care you need at
a reasonable cost. Because each person's oral health is
different, costs can vary widely. To control dental treatment
costs...
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Annual Benefits:
To help contain costs, your plan may
limit your benefits by number of procedures and/or dollar
amount in a given year. In most cases, particularly if you've
been getting regular preventive care, these limitations allow
for adequate coverage...
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Getting the Most out of Your Dental Plan:
To take
full advantage of your dental benefits plan, visit the dentist
regularly and get the preventive care that will keep your
mouth healthy...
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American Dental Plans
Family Dental Insurance
American
dental insurance plan quotes are available on a state by state basis in
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut,
Delaware, Dist of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois,
Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland,
Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana,
Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North
Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode
Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont,
Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming. Find the best
personal dental of America insurance quotes from some of the finest and
solid insurance companies who compare the lowest monthly premiums with
immediate coverage and choices.
The dental insurance programs listed are
based upon the zip code you enter and their availability. If we are
unable to offer a dental insurance plan, we will provide a alternative dental plan, if available, and clearly state it. Please be sure to
contact the plan dental office to confirm they are accepting new
patients and they are accepting the dental plan you have selected.
If
you have any dental insurance plan questions please feel free to
contact our office during
regular business hours. You will find our licensed insurance agents ready to
assist you.
Our dental web site is very clear if you are
selecting a dental insurance plan or a dental discount plan. We
understand that there are many dental plan web sites popping-up all
over the internet, claiming to offer "dental insurance" when in fact
they do not and are not licensed to offer a dental insurance plan.
If you find a site that says they offer
dental insurance, they are "required" to show their insurance license
information on the web site, as noted at the bottom of this page. If
they don't, then report them to your local state department of
insurance. If you find a dental web site stating they offer "dental
insurance" and in fact they don't, then take the opportunity to report
that site to the search engine you found them on. Our
entire staff is licensed to offer, sell and service dental insurance.
Always ask to speak with a licensed insurance agent. Ask them if they
are licensed. Full disclosure is our guarantee...
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This type of
dental plan pays the dental office (dentist) on a traditional
fee-for-service basis. A monthly premium is paid by the client
and/or the employer to an insurance company, which then reimburses
the dental office (dentist) for the services rendered. An
insurance company usually pays between 50% - 80% of the dental
office (dentist) fees for a covered procedures; the remaining
20% - 50% is paid by the client. These plans often have a
pre-determined or set deductible amount which varies from plan to
plan. Indemnity plans also can limit the amount of services
covered within a given year and pay the dentist based on a variety
of fee schedules. Some typical features of these plans:
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High
deductibles before coverage begins (well-designed plans don't
apply the deductible to preventive services)
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Probationary
periods on certain procedures that last up to a year
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Annual dollar
limit on benefits
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Chose your own
dentist
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Your average
monthly cost: $15 to $25
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Companies
selling these plans are regulated by state insurance
departments.
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 (dentist). A Dental Health Maintenance
Organization (DHMO) is a common example of a capitation
plan. The dentist is paid on a per capita (per person) basis
rather than for actual treatment provided. Participating dentists
receive a fixes monthly fee based on the number of patients
assigned to the office. In addition to premiums, client
co-payments may be required for each visit. Some typical features
of these plans:
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Monthly
premiums (some require you to prepay a year's worth)
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Co-payments for
office visits
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Free preventive
or routine care
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You must select
from an approved network of dentists
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May have an
initial enrollment fee
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Annual dollar
cap
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Your average
monthly cost: $5 to $15
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Companies
selling these plans are regulated by state insurance
departments.
Another true
insurance plan, a Preferred provider organizations ( PPO) falls
somewhere between an indemnity plan and a dental HMO. This plan
allows a particular group of patients to receive dental care from
a defined panel of dentists. The participating dentist agrees to
charge less than usual fees to this specific patient base,
providing savings for the plan purchaser. If the patient chooses
to see a dentist who is not designated as a "preferred provider,"
that patient may be required to pay a greater share of the
fee-for-service. A group of dentists agrees to provide services
at a deeply discounted rate, giving you substantial savings — as
long as you stay in their network. Unlike the more restrictive
DHMO, though, you can go out of network and still receive some
benefits. Some typical features of these plans:
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Monthly
premiums
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Annual dollar
cap
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You must stay
within the approved network of dentists or pay higher
deductibles and co-payments
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Your average
monthly cost: $20-25
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Companies
selling these plans are regulated by state insurance
departments.
This type of
dental plan is not insurance. The managing organizations have
negotiated with local dental offices to establish a set price for
a particular dental procedure and offer deep discounts (some
from 20-60%) off the regular ADA pricing code. This plan has
several advantages over traditional dental insurance plans. This
allows a patient to receive immediate service for work without any
waiting requirements and no limits on use.
A dental care
plan now coming into vogue is the direct reimbursement plan. This
is a self-funded benefit plan — not insurance — in which an
employer pays for dental care with its own funds, rather than
paying premiums to an insurance company or third-party
administrator. You, the patient, pay the full amount directly to
the dentist, then get a receipt detailing services rendered and
the cost, which you show to your employer. The employer reimburses
you for part or all of the dental costs, depending on your
specific benefits.
Your company might reimburse 100 percent of your first $100 of
dental expenses and then 80 percent of the next $500, and 50
percent of the next $2,000, with a total annual maximum benefit of
$1,500. Or it might reimburse only 50 percent of your first
$1,000, resulting in a $500 yearly cap.
Some typical features of a direct reimbursement plan:
Some typical features of a direct reimbursement plan:
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Neither you nor
your employer pay monthly premiums
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Freedom to
choose any dentist
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Typical
employer cost: depends on the number of employees and
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benefit caps
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Benefits
usually capped at $500 to $2,000 annually.
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American
dental insurance plan quotes are available on a state by state basis in
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut,
Delaware, Dist of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois,
Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland,
Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana,
Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North
Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode
Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont,
Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming. Find the best
personal dental of America insurance quotes from some of the finest and
solid insurance companies who compare the
lowest monthly premiums with
immediate coverage and choices.
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