Dental Insurance Articles
Services Typically Provided With An Online Dental Insurance Quote
2010-08-23
When seeking a dental insurance quote, it is always helpful to know what is included in terms of dental services. While an online dental insurance quote will give the applicant an overview of the dental services provided, it is also important to have a conversation over the phone or in person with the dental insurance agent to ensure a thorough understanding of all the services that come with the plan. Combining the insurance quote generated online with an informational discussion with the agent will provide the insured with the knowledge to make the best use of all the services that are offered as a part of that dental insurance plan.
Typical dental services that are covered in a dental insurance quote are in three major categories: preventative or diagnostic services, minor care and major care. Preventative or diagnostic services, also called routine care, refers to annual events such as checkups, cleanings, fluoride treatments, diagnostic X-rays and consultation with the dentist. This routine care is provided by the insurance carrier as a basic dental health care benefit to maintain dental health.
Simple or minor care refers to fillings, extractions, root canals, spacings, some surgical procedures and other minor care. It is important to check with the dental insurance provider to find out which procedures are considered minor care and which procedures are considered major care because the reimbursement levels for these two categories often differ. For instance, while most providers consider root canals to be minor care and cover the procedure at 80 percent, some carriers will consider a root canal major care and may offer coverage at 50 percent or even lower. Because root canals are also quite expensive, it is important to compare dental insurance quotes to find out what category they are placed in with respect to coverage levels. Major care would be considered to be dentures, bridges, crowns, overlays and complicated extractions, among other items. These expensive procedures often receive the lowest coverage levels; thus, it is important to find out more information than a simple quote can provide on what is covered and at what level.
Dental insurance can be a great addition to an individual's health care coverage. Understanding the three basic levels of coverage, and the reimbursement ranges for each level, can go a long way toward simplifying the process of seeking insurance quotes, assessing each against the other to find the best policy, asking the kinds of questions that will give insight into the best plan for the insured, and having a great experience choosing and using a dental insurance policy.