Article Courtesy of Brampton Dentist. A leading Canadian Dental Resource.
To smile costs nothing, but gives much as it creates happiness and warmth around you. Having an attractive and stunning smile makes people notice you in a crowd. But often “having” that stunning smile, requires much work on your part, primarily practicing good oral hygiene. Proper dental care and oral hygiene are absolutely essential to maintain good oral health and to enhance your personality. Although routine dental checkups, dental treatments and processes can do more than just keep you smiling could they be very expensive. That’s when having a dental insurance plan comes in handy. In most cases it covers all or some of the expenses for which a person has to pay an amount as premium to the insurance provider.
Types of coverage’s:
A dental insurance normally covers the following although the coverage may vary from one insurance provider to the other. It covers routine dental checkups, x-rays and hygiene treatments for removal of plaque and tartar. It also covers remedial or restorative procedures like cleaning and filling the teeth, crown filling, root canal operations and dental bridgework. Further it encompasses unexpected dental treatments which require urgent dental attention in case of accident or injury and even mouth cancer.
Types of dental insurance plans:
Some insurance covers are quite comprehensive, flexible and devised to cover all the costs associated with dental care while others are specific and restrictive and cover only the basic dental procedures. It should also be noted that no two insurance plans are similar in the coverage they offer.
The most popular and conventional type of dental insurance plan is the Indemnity Plan wherein the insured pays a fixed amount and the insurance company in turn repays the dentist for the dental services rendered by him. However there is an annual restriction on the coverage for dental payouts. This is also referred to as the fee for service plan. This plan affords you the full freedom of selecting your own dentist. In the case of the direct reimbursement plan it is self-funded in nature. It is exclusively designed and formulated for the employers who reimburse their employees directly for the dental services that they receive in a year. Whereas in the preferred provider organization the policy holders are given the sole preference and liberty of selecting from any of the group of dentists specified by them who provide dental care at absolutely cheap rates.
The self-insurance plan also is quite same as the indemnity plan excepting that you are not given the flexibility and freedom to choose your dentist. Whereas the closed panel plan is also restrictive in nature as it limits your choice to only a specific group of dentists and their services. Capitation plan exposes the insured person to a list of dentists to approach for treatment procedures within the specified period of time.
As you can see, there are many options for coverage. Select the insurance plan that offers the maximum coverage by analyzing carefully and clearly what all is covered under it and see if it is really worth your money. Some plans do not cover preventive maintenance and even root canals and x-rays. Also, take into consideration the deductibles before selecting an insurance plan. Select a best insurance plan that provides the maximum and adequate coverage plus care keeping in mind your requirements.
This article does not constitute legal or medical advice of any kind. Please consult qualified professional in assistance in these matters.