Tips On How To Choose A Discount Dental Plan
In recent years, discount dental plans have become very popular with individuals and families as a way to save on dental care. Today, tens of millions of Americans are members of a discount dental plan. The reasons for this are many.
Discount dental plans are typically only about one-third the cost of traditional dental indemnity programs. The main drawback is that members must use a participating plan dentist for all services. However, these plans are easy to use, there are no forms to file and best of all, existing dental conditions are accepted immediately.
There are many competing discount dental plans on the market today. Here are some tips to help you find the plan that best fits your exact needs, situation, and budget.
Tip #1: Check to be sure the plan offers a good selection of participating dentists near you. This is the crucial first step, because discount dental plans require that you use a participating plan dentist for all savings. If there is not a suitable selection of plan dentists in your area, then that plan is instantly removed from consideration.
The more participating dentists that a discount plan has available in your area, the better for you, as this makes it possible for you to be more selective when choosing a dentist.
Tip #2: Compare the discount fee schedules. Only consider a plan that has a “Discount Fee Schedule” that you can see, print and compare. This helps to eliminate guesswork, because you can see your savings before you buy. You should insist on a fee schedule that tells you – in writing – the discounted prices for at least 100 of the most common dental care procedures.
Buyers beware! Some discount dental plans only show you their fees on 25 to 30 “most common” dental procedures, while pledging “great” percentage discounts on more. But with nothing in writing, you don’t know for sure what you are getting. In addition, an unspecified “percentage” discount makes it possible for a dentist to inflate his or her “regular fees” before crediting you with the plan discounts.
Tip #3: Compare plan membership costs? For an individual, a discount dental plan typically costs less than $100 per year. For an entire family, the cost is typically about $200 per year, or less. The majority of discount dental plans require that you pay for the entire year upfront.
The Careington dental plan is one of the few that allows members to pay on a low monthly basis. The monthly rates are $6.95 for an individual and $15.95 for an entire household. There is a 10% discount should you elect to pay annually.
Tip #4: Check to see who can be included in your discount dental plan membership? A family membership costs less per person than an individual membership. Careington and a few other discount dental plans allow everyone within a single household to join as a unit. This allows not only immediate family members, but anyone living under one roof to save money by joining together on a single plan.
Tip #5: Think twice when you see the word “free.” Some discount dental plans advertise “free exams” or “free months” as incentives to join. Take a hard look. You will usually find that you are really paying for “freebies” with a higher dental plan membership fee. Pay attention to the bottom-line cost. Don’t be fooled by the word “free.”
In summary, when shopping for a discount dental plan, (1) check out your selection of nearby plan dentists and (2) be sure your getting the best savings by comparing plan discount schedules. Finally, calculate the bottom-line cost of membership for you and/or your entire household.