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Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Who needs Supplemental Dental Insurance?

By Matt Smith

You may not know anything about Supplemental dental insurance. The assumption is that if you are employed, dental care and treatment is part of your medical coverage; however, that is not entirely true. If you have dental insurance at work, preventive care such as annual cleaning or prophylactics, and maybe x-rays are the only thing covered. However, if you have a major dental condition, your health or dental insurance may not cover such procedures.

Now, this is where supplemental dental insurance becomes a must have. The costs of dental treatment without insurance can be staggering. The reason why insurance companies choose to make dental coverage minimal is because the assumption is problems with your teeth are preventable with proper dental hygiene and thus expensive coverage is not necessary.

The cost of crowns, bridges, endodontics, disease related to the root of the teeth and periodontics, condition effecting the gums can be expensive, and thus supplemental dental insurance is necessary.

It is not costly to be covered through an supplemental dental insurance plan. supplemental dental insurance plans are available through most companies and need to be requested. You should not expect the coverage is there. Supplemental dental insurance is usually covered by most companies, and if that is the case, be sure not to take it for granted.

National insurance carriers do offer supplemental dental insurance that allow you to choose your own dentist. "Open Panel" is the type of coverage within a supplemental dental insurance plan that allows you to pick your own dentist. "Closed panel" is an option that forces you to pick a dentist from a list. Most supplemental dental insurance plans force you to pick through a list.

Supplemental dental insurance plans offer two kinds of "closed panel". Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) is the first type. Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) have lower premiums.

In the second closed panel type, which is termed Exclusive Provider Organization (EPO), you are restricted in your choice and can only get a dentist from a list supplied by the participating dentist. In emergency situations, there are considerations that are given. Insurance companies that offer supplemental dental insurance give approvals that allow you to be treated for emergencies.

Payment for dental treatment is done through percentages of services up front, or prepayment of treatment in advance. Another option that is popular is paying for the treatment after the fact.

Supplemental dental insurance is a great way to prevent unexpected costs to hurt your budget.

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