Dental Insurance Articles

Differences Between Dental Insurance And Discount Plans

2010-10-06

Dental insurance quotes can now be easily found online and are comparable in many ways to health insurance quotes. They both offer services and coverage for a monthly premium and come with things like an annual yearly maximum and restrictions on exactly what will be covered and what an insured will be responsible for paying on his or her own. These dental insurance quotes can take the form of common health care plans such as HMOs, PPOs or self-directed options, with all of the benefits and pitfalls that those entail. In contrast to dental insurance plans, there are also dental discount plans, which offer a very different brand of service than a true insurance policy.

The first important thing to understand about dental discount plans is that they are not a form of dental insurance. They do not offer true coverage or a dedicated agent, and while they do include a monthly fee, this fee is not paid to keep coverage current, but for a discount "card" or membership that is used to access services. These services are the next difference between dental insurance plans and discount plans-they will be decidedly different. Dental insurance plans will offer to pay a portion of regular expenses such as check-ups and cleaning, and also of more serious services such as fillings, crowns or root canals. Discount dental plans, meanwhile, offer only a discount at certain offices on the total price of a visit, or on certain products offered at that clinic, for example, fluoride. These plans are cheaper per month that true dental insurance plans, in large part because they are not insurance.

Dental discount plans may also be bogged down with administrative costs in order to access the services offered by the plan. Be leery of any plans that offer too much for too little, or that have overly large "administration fees" or one-time start-up payments. While these plans can offer a far cheaper alternative on a month-to-month basis than those listed by dental insurance quotes, what will be available to consumers using these plans can be suspect. The most important difference between these two models is that a dental discount plan does not have obligations to their customers in the same way that an insurance company does. The discount plan is merely that-a plan that is designed to provide savings. There is no further involvement from the company.

While dental discount plans may provide a viable alternative for those who cannot afford true dental insurance, it can often be a case of smoke and mirrors rather than actual coverage. Research and diligence is called for if a discount plan is being sought.