What You Need To Know About Discount Dental Plans

By Nelda Powers


Discount dental plans allow members to get discounts after using the services of a dentist. Plan participants get to choose the dentist to visit from a list of participating dentists. These plans are different from dental insurance in that members do not pay monthly premiums. They only pay a single yearly fee and they can visit any dentist listed in a plan to enjoy discounts.

Participating dentists benefit by having their listing displayed regularly to a large list of potential patients. They therefore agree to charge lower service fees. The discounts in these plans vary. Typically, you will be reimbursed based on the class of services you use. For instance, diagnostic and preventative services may be covered at a hundred percent of the cost of the procedure, while basic restorative services may be covered at eighty percent of the procedure.

Under most dental programs, patients may receive certain services such as yearly teeth cleaning and yearly checkups free or at very low costs. The main benefit of these plans to patients is that they enable them to use the services of dentists even when they do not have enough money. These programs do not pay for the services a patient receives but rather allows him or her to pay discounted rates for such services.

To participate in these programs, dentists are usually required to list their fees. This lets patients know if a particular professional is charging too much. These programs are also beneficial in that they allow members to include their relatives in them. People who are not immediate family members of a patient can benefit.

Discount plans usually have cost sharing elements for members like coinsurance, copayments and deductibles. They help ensure that members pay low fees. These programs usually have a limit on the number of times a member can receive specific services. The age of a member can also determine the kind of discounts that he or she can receive.

Dental programs also usually have a yearly dollar limit on certain services. After you reach your yearly limit, you cannot enjoy reduced rates on services until the start of the upcoming plan year. However, if you only use routine care services such as exams, X rays and cleanings, it is highly unlikely that you will reach your yearly maximum.

In order to ensure that you do not get confused after receiving a bill from the dentist, you should get an estimate to know how much the services of a dentist will cost upfront. You should then request your dentist to submit the treatment plan to your insurance company for an estimate of the discounts you can receive for being in the dental plan. This professional may have to submit supporting documents or X rays in order for the service to be pre approved.

Your insurance company may provide you with an estimate showing how much will be paid by the plan, the charges you have to pay, the amount that remains toward your deductible and whether you are close to reaching your benefit maximum. It is essential to choose discount dental plans that cover the services you need and also include the dentists you would like to visit. The providers of these programs offer detailed descriptions outlining service coverage, limitations, requirements and exclusions.




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