I am surprised, but next to health insurance, dental insurance or dental plans are the thing that newly non-group covered people ask me about. Now I think I just made up the word, non-group covered. But you know, it means those of us who are self employed, contract workers, professionals, etc. that do not belong to a company with a group major medical plan, and so we must seek out such coverage for ourselves.

If you are looking for a dental discount plan that includes a Dental PPO (called a DPO, I GUESS) that has pre-negotiated premiums, a large list of participating dentists in your area, sometimes offers free or very cheap routine care services, and may also include vision benefits and other goodies, I have a suggestion. Why not go to one website where you can do a search in your zip code to see all of the plans that are available?

CLICK HERE FOR DENTAL PLANS IN YOUR AREA - YOU CAN ALSO SEE WHICH DENTISTS ARE AFFILIATED WITH THE DENTAL PLANS, AND EXACTLY WHAT YOU GET WITH THE PLAN.

If a dental plan is not what you want, but you need dental insurance, then of course I can point you there too!  

Here is the Link to a Search for Dental Insurance for Individuals, Families, and Small Businesses in your area.

What is the difference between a dental discount plan and a dental insurance plan?

WHO PAYS?

With dental insurance, you pay your premiums, plus any deductibles and copays. The insurance company pays the dentist the rest of the money. With a discount plan, you pay a membership fee (usually lower than insurance), and you pay the dentists for services.  Since you belong to the discount plan, the bill should be at the cheaper negotiated rate.

DISCOUNTS AT SELECTED PROVIDERS

With dental insurance, you usually get pre-negotiated rates with members of a network. With a dental discount plan, you get a discount with members of the networks. If this sounds similar, it is because it is similar! Note that dental discount plans are usually fairly inexpensive, and some people use them with a type of dental insurance that’s called an indemnity plan so they can save more money. You may also wish to purchase a dentl discount card if you need treatment for a pre-existing condition that’s not covered, haven’t exhausted a waiting period for major dental work, or have already run out of benefits for the year.

Of course, that last paragraph brings up the point that dental insurance usually does have deductibles, waiting periods, and yearly maximums. When you consider those factors with the higher premiums, a dental discount card may work out well for you.

Related posts:

1. Inexpensive Dental Plans for Affordable Dental Coverage
2. Dental Discount Plans FAQ
3. What you should know about dental plans
4. New Clinton Health Care Plan
5. Online Dental Insurance

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