Dental Insurance Articles

Why Most Americans Do Not Have Dental Insurance Plans

2011-07-20

There are many Americans all over the country that do not have any dental insurance. It's been reported that over 30% of the country's population is without dental plans. No insurance means that they are just not visiting a dentist to help maintain their oral health or paying for the services out of pocket. But why is this?

Many people simply don't see the benefit to dental insurance. Once a person goes beyond childhood, teeth are in, braces are off and everything is done, right? This is not the case, as any healthcare professional will tell you, however many people are ignorant to the need of dental care. There are wisdom teeth that could be impacted, cavities that need to be filled and gum diseases that need to be treated.

Toothpaste and other products have come a long way over the past 50 years. Fluoride is in the toothpaste that we use every day, there are over the counter pain medications and gels and so much more. When people can buy these things, they don't see the benefit to paying the premium for dental insurance. Great products do exist, however it shouldn't take the place of having a dentist inspect things in person annually, too.

Dental plans are expensive for many people. Most people are struggling with medical insurance let alone dental, too. The costs for becoming insured aren't getting cheaper. The more people who are going without coverage, the more it costs for those who do want dental insurance. This is because there are less people in the pool to spread the costs to.

Premiums can be another monthly expense that people simply cannot take on. If it's not being supplemented by an employer, it is just not feasible, especially in today's economy. There are a lot of unemployed people in the country right now, which puts a strain on healthcare across the nation. In addition, when someone doesn't have an income coming in, groceries can be a financial burden, let alone dental insurance.

Some companies and employers put a stronger emphasis on medical, not dental. There are a lot of Americans that simply take what their company gives them. This can encompass all aspects of insurance - basic life, accidental D&D, HMO medical coverage and in many cases, no dental. This is because businesses are trying to make cutbacks and want to cover the bigger issues that people complain about most.

Americans are either choosing not to be insured because they don't see the benefit or see the benefit but cannot afford the premium. It seems to be a vicious cycle that education and government subsidy could solve.