New York’s Expert Dentists Explain Everything About Dental Plans
You may have started a new job and one of the first decisions you have to make is what kind of dental insurance you want to get. You want to get an appointment with a Queens dentist soon. That leads to your asking the natural question, “What is dental insurance?” How does it work? What kind of plans can you pick from? How much money will it cost you?
Fortunately for you, New York’s expert dentists explain everything about dental insurance plans. Read on to learn more.
What Does Dental Insurance Cover?
Most of the time dental insurance will cover routine dental work. like your twice-yearly exams. Usually they will also cover portions of the cost of things like fillings, root canals, and tooth extractions. When it comes to orthodontics, like braces or Invisalign, then check on the insurance company. Some of them do and others do not. Do this first before starting any dental procedure, though. You do not want any surprises.
Just as important, you need to know what dental insurance does not cover. The vast majority of the time they will not cover cosmetic dental work, since that is considered not to be necessary. You also need to know about caps on the limits of what they will pay. If your procedure will exceed it, then you will have to pay the remainder of it out of pocket.
Preferred Provider Organization: PPO Dental Plans
This is a dental plan where the dentist will lower their fees for patients that are in the network. The terms are not completely rigid. though. You don’t have to choose a primary care dentist that you will see all the time. The deductibles tend to be on the lower side and you will likely not have to wait for preventative care services and it covers all kinds of basic procedures.
Many patients like this type of plan because while they can pay less for many services, they also don’t have to see a dentist that is in the network. Of course, you will have to pay more for seeing that dentist, so you have to weigh the convenience factor vs. what you will wind up paying in the long run.
Dental Health Maintenance Organization (DHMO)
This is the dental version of the medical HMO. You have to pick a primary dentist here much like you have to pick your primary care doctor. The costs are not as high for the procedures. The rules are much stricter here, though, so you need to be absolutely sure that this dentist that you choose from the network is the one that you want to regularly see.
While the premiums here are usually lower, there’s most likely a catch. The network that you have to choose from may be smaller than the PPO plan and if you see a dentist outside the network, they will probably not cover any costs. The only exception may be if you have to have immediate emergency dental work. Also, you may have to travel more since those that are in the network may not be in close proximity to you.
Waiting Period For Dental Insurance
Here is where you need to take certain things into consideration. There is a waiting period before the insurance fully kicks in. This means that if you need immediate dental work done, you cannot just sign up the day before and have the dentist bill the insurance. You will wind up having to pay the full cost out of pocket, since the terms will have been clearly stated beforehand.
The insurance does this for that very reason – to keep people from immediately having major dental work done right after signing up. There are certain procedures that are not covered right away. The goal is for people to have routine services done first. It’s also protection against people signing up, having major dental surgery and then terminating their policy right after that.
Dental Plans For Seniors & Kids
The older you get the more chances that you may develop oral problems. That’s why you should consider getting a senior dental plan. There are many low-cost plans out there that can fit into a fixed-income. As you advance in age, it’s better to coer yourself than possibly face a large bill for an expensive procedure.
Parents want their children to have excellent oral health. That means that they also need to look into dental plans for their children, Many times children are already covered under their parents’ plan, but if that is not the case then it may be worth looking into supplemental plans – some states even have free dental insurance for low-income parents.
You may also hear of Dental Indemnity plans where the dentist will offer services at a pre-set range of prices. You will pay the costs until a certain deductible is reached. Then the costs are shared. This is a pricier option for most, but you also get a lot of flexibility.
It’s important that you get dental insurance. Many employer health plans have it but some do not, so you need to research that before you go to visit your Queens dentist. Having this can help you have a great smile and also a healthier bank account.
Dr. Robert M. Trager and his staff at JFK-LGA Dentist will gladly work with you on any dental insurance issues. Give him a call at 718-656-4747 today!
Dr. Robert M. Trager
JFK Airport
Building 14 West Wing,
Jamaica, NY 11430
Phone: 718-656-4747
Website: https://jfk-lga-dentist.com
