Insurance Corner: Full Coverage Dental Insurance

Have you been looking for full coverage dental insurance that will provide complete coverage in any sort of dental disaster? As in – no matter what kind of treatment you may need, now and into the foreseeable future, a full coverage dental insurance plan that will cover virtually everything?

At our office, we frequently are asked, “Does full coverage dental insurance even exist?” Well, most of the time you’ll find that you will not find a plan that will cover all costs, but you can find plans that will help cover a portion of many procedures to help reduce your out-of-pocket cost.

The term “full coverage dental insurance” can mean different things to different people. For some, “full coverage dental insurance” means a dental insurance plan that covers general services like routine checkups, cleaning and X-rays. Others expect a full-coverage plan to reduce the cost of any dental services they may need. The good news is that many different dental insurance companies have a range of dental plans to fit your dental needs.

Tips for choosing a plan:

Estimate your future dental needs. Consider whether you or your family will need major dental work or oral surgery. Or maybe you just want basic, preventive care like regular checkups and cleanings. Also, consider how emergency dental treatment could affect your budget if you must pay all costs that are out-of-pocket.
Find a plan your dentist accepts. If you have a dentist you’d like to continue seeing, check to see if they accept the dental plan you are considering.
Consider your budget and how much you are comfortable paying. Decide whether you’d prefer to pay premiums and co-pays over time, or pay the full amounts to the dentist all at once.

Many plans vary on the networks that can be utilized. You will often find two different kinds of plans to choose from, PPO or HMO. While these are the two most common, there are other types of plans to choose from. You should carefully consider what type of plan will work best for you before enrolling for dental insurance.

PPO and HMO plans are “managed care networks” that your dentist can choose to participate in. As a part of these types of plans, many of the patients receive extra savings.

HMO plans require that you only see a dentist who is participating in the network, often time limiting your choices to just a few providers. These plans will make no payment if you see an out-of-network dentist.

PPO plans allow you to select dentists outside of the network if you wish, but receive a lower reimbursement in those instances. Many dentists choose to participate in PPO plans because of the flexibility it gives both them and their patients.

In the best of all possible worlds, we would be able to obtain full coverage dental insurance that paid the entire cost of any procedure, but unfortunately for most that is not obtainable. However, there are many plans out there that can help dramatically reduce your out-of-pocket cost.

If you need specific information on your dental insurance plan, we are here to help you. Please contact us today to schedule an appointment at the offices of Thomas L. Anderson and Associates. We have three convenient locations within the Kansas City area, including Lee’s Summit / Independence, the Country Club Plaza and Downtown Kansas City. The gentle dentists and expert team at Thomas L. Anderson and Associates look forward to working with you to treat your dental emergency, achieve proper oral health and a beautiful smile that will last a lifetime. If you have any questions about your dental insurance benefits, please do not hesitate to contact us. We are happy to review your policy! Please give us a call today to schedule an appointment and become part of our dental family.