Dental Service Plan - 3 Facts About Dental Plans That You Must Know Before You Buy

Buying a dental service plan isn't as easy as 1, 2, 3. You need to know exactly what you're buying before you spend the money and the only way to do that is by researching the facts. There are mainly two types of dental plans available to you. These are Dental Insurance and Discount Dental Plans. There are big differences between the two so let's dig right in and learn the facts.

Fact #1. Dental insurance will not pay for any existing condition that you may already have. This means that if you already have caries (cavities), have a broken tooth, missing teeth, etc that having an insurance policy will not help you one bit. The word "insurance" means to "provide protection in case of an unforeseen event" and something that has already happened is not an unforeseen event. A policy may provide some coverage after a mandatory one year waiting period, but the conditions to be treated and the amount covered are at the sole discretion of the dental insurance provider.

Fact #2. Dental insurance will not pay for braces. Orthodontics care is not covered by a standard insurance policy and must be purchased separately. Also, it has an a low annual coverage limit, usually starting at around a $2,000 maximum for an individual and $4,000 per family and it will only cover up to 50% of all costs incurred for braces.

Fact #3. Discount Dental Plans are NOT insurance. These service plans offer discounts only. There are benefits to this though. The first is that you can be seen immediately for any condition you may have and you'll receive a discount. The only alternative would be to pay full price. Also, there are no age limits or exclusions and braces, dentures, bridges and crowns are all included within the plans.

These are three facts about dental service plans that are very important in the decision making process for both individuals and families. The decision you make should be based on your immediate needs.