Finding Low Cost Dental Coverage

By Sally Delacruz


Many employers provide health insurance to workers, but generally do so only if the worker is a full-time employee. Part-time employees or those who work as a contractor or freelance may have to purchase their own low cost dental coverage instead. Just because a plan is low in cost doesn't mean that it should be shoddy coverage. Here is what you can expect from a plan, and what to look for.

Depending on your life situation, you may need a individual or a family plan, which are the two main types of coverage. Anyone who is single and has no dependents will go for an individual plan. If you have children, even if you don't have a spouse, a family plan is appropriate for you. If you are currently single but later have a child, you should be able to easily upgrade to a family plan, though your monthly premium will go up as well.

Though family and individual plans cover the two basic types of coverage, each plan offered by various companies is very different from each other. Some are very basic and only cover some dental work or checkups, while others are much more complete plans that cover everything. Based on your dental health, you will have to choose which one you want.

Some plans may seem really affordable on the surface, but can become very expensive when you start to actually use them. Many plans with low monthly payments may have large deductibles that could cost you a lot more in the future. For instance, you may find a plan that is only $25 per month, which is a good price. However, if that plan has a $1000 deductible, that means you have to pay the first $1000 in costs up front, and then the insurance kicks in. You may want to go for a plan that has a higher monthly premium, but a much smaller deductible.

There may also be limits to how much the plan will cover each year, along with a lifetime maximum. Your plan may pay $100,000 per year, but with a lifetime maximum of $500,000 or something along those lines. Each plan is different, so make sure you check for the limits and maximums. If they are too low, you may want to look for another form of coverage.

Oral surgery and orthodontics are an important part of your dental health, but they aren't covered in every policy. Check the fine print and make sure that both are covered, or else you could find yourself paying out of pocket should you need oral surgery or if you or a child need braces.

Each plan should also include some preventative care procedures that are either mostly paid by insurance or completely paid. This includes x-rays to see if there are any problems underneath the surface and yearly or twice yearly cleanings to help prevent plaque and other potential issues.

Whether you are single or have a family, getting coverage for your dental health is a big deal. Decide how much you can spend each month on a policy and then go shopping for the one that covers the most in your price range. You will be well on your way to affordable and comprehensive care.




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