Shopping for Indemnity Dental Plans

If you currently have no dental coverage, you may be confused as to which plan may fit your needs the best. Indemnity dental plans are perhaps the best option for those who currently have a regular dentist and do not wish to search for a new one. These types of plans, also called private dental insurance, allow a patient to choose his or her own dentist.

Indemnity dental plans contract professional dentists to provide services at a specified price, and the insurance company pays the dentist directly upon billing. Coverages will vary for these plans as far as exposure to monetary costs, but most will pay 50 to 80 percent of fees for covered procedures.

This means that 20 to 50 percent of fees will be payable by you. These dental plans will also include a deductible which may apply to all services collectively, or only preventive or emergency services. You may also find that there are two separate deductibles which apply to each type of service.

This is an important point to keep in mind when choosing between several dental plans. If you are a senior and expect more extensive work needed such as dentures or crowns, you’ll need to choose the best all care dental plan for these types of procedures. Conversely, a family with teenagers may be more concerned with coverage for braces, fillings and preventive care.

If you do not expect to need dentures, for example, you may be able to choose a less expensive plan that carries a higher deductible or co-insurance for these services. The same is true for families which have already had braces and aftercare.

Indemnity dental plans will also typically place limits on total services covered in a given policy year, and these may be specific to types of services. Deductibles are usually higher in order to save on monthly premiums, but you can simply look for dental plans which do not apply the deductible to preventive cleanings and exams.

This will allow deductibles only to apply to emergency or advanced services such as braces, and you can save money in the long-term. If you simply save the difference in monthly premium rates between the dental plans you choose versus a more expensive version, you will most likely come up with the deductible amount over a few years’ time in case of an emergency. What’s more, if you never use the emergency coverage you’ll have some extra change in your pocket!

Waiting periods may also apply to certain procedures, so consider any special services you anticipate needing in the coming months. In other words, if you already need your wisdom teeth removed and are just now looking for coverage, you’ll most likely have to wait up to a year or more before it’s covered.

Don’t forget to consider the oral surgery and orthodontic benefits of your proposed dental plans also. If you have teenagers that may need these services in the future, sufficient coverage and higher limits may save you considerable funds down the road!