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Family Dental Plans - Types of Family Dental Plans

With more and more employers dropping health care benefits that include dental insurance, it is important to understand the family dental plans available. Generally, family dental plans fall into three categories - traditional dental insurance , managed dental plans and discount dental plans.

Traditional Dental Insurance

Most individuals are familiar with traditional dental insurance . This type of family dental insurance requires paying monthly plan premiums and payment of an annual deductible. To purchase a family plan, it is usually necessary to complete a health history form and wait for approval. Additionally, pre-existing conditions may not be covered for a period of time following acceptance into the dental insurance plan.

Unfortunately, many dentists no longer accept payment directly from a dental insurance plan carrier. Instead, they leave it to the patient to complete claim forms and work with the dental insurance company regarding payment. Part of the reason for this change among dentists is that dental insurance often limits coverage for routine dental care services such as visits to a dental hygienist, crowns , bridges or orthodontic services.

Managed Dental Plans

Managed dental plans have evolved along with managed health care plans . Similar to managed health care plans, members are provided with a list of providers for services and pay a copay for each visit to a dentist. Providers have agreed to negotiate rates for services and certain services may not be covered. Examples of disallowed services include cosmetic dentistry services such as teeth whitening, veneers or dental implants.

Managed dental plans are commonly referred to as PPO (preferred provider organization) dental plans, DHMOs (dental health maintenance organizations) or POS (point of service) dental plans. These plans often offer substantially reduced benefits for services provided outside of the service network. Alternatively, services provided outside of the preferred network may not be covered at all.

Discount Dental Plans

Discount dental plans are becoming more popular because they are a cost effective alternative to dental insurance plans. An additional benefit is that discount dental plans offer coverage for many dental care services that are not usually allowed under traditional insurance plans, such as cosmetic dentistry like veneers, teeth whitening or dental implants.

Another factor that makes discount dental plans attractive is that they are easy to use, particularly for a family. Rates are based on payment of an annual flat-rate fee and are often much lower than the total monthly premiums required for a traditional dental insurance plan. Also, payment for services is made directly to the dentist, who has negotiated a discounted rate for members.

Service providers for discount dental plans include general dentists, family dentists, orthodontists, and cosmetic dentistry specialists . Covered services usually include routine dental care such as visits to a dental hygienist, crowns and bridges; plus services such as whitening, implants, veneers , braces or other dental care services.

Summary

Finding cost effective family dental plans can be challenging. There are many different types of dental insurance available to families today, but they primarily break down into three categories - traditional dental insurance, dental management plans and discount dental plans. Choosing a family dental plan depends largely on the individual needs of the family in question.