Dental Insurance
By Dr. Linda Niessen -- Baylor College of Dentistry STORY: Dental Insurance script # 522 SHOOT: 8/12/03 AIRDATE: Monday, Sept. 8, 2003 DHC Masters #18 Timecode: 19:01
Monday, September 08, 2003
Who really needs dental insurance and which plans are the best? Do you really save money by giving up the freedom to go to the dentist of your choice?
Joan Sierra, a mother of two, asked these questions and many others in her search for dental insurance for her family of four. “So I went to the Internet to look up some dental plans, but instead of dental plans, what I got were discount dental plans, not dental insurance,” Sierra said.
You may find lots of information on the Internet, but most of it from companies trying to sell a plan that costs from $10 to $50 a month. Ask many questions because you may save very little money. What procedures are covered? What is not covered? Can I choose my dentist?
“I would ask if you are going to be able to choose your dentist from anyone, not choose from a list. Because sometimes you’ll get into an office where they have so many patients and somebody who is fearful may have trouble because they won’t get the time that they need to feel comfortable,” Dr. Amy Bender said.
Will the plan allow for referrals to specialists? How does the plan provide for emergency dental treatment? Does the plan exclude all pre-existing conditions such as missing teeth? “Or if a crown needs to be replaced, there may be a waiting period of four to five years,” Bender said.
Most dental plans do not cover dental implants, specialist referrals and many other common dental procedures, such as sealants. So ask lots of questions and don’t sign up until you get all the answers. For Baylor College of Dentistry The Texas A&M University System Health Science Center in Dallas, I'm Dr. Linda Niessen.
Dr. Linda Niessen, clinical professor in the Department of Restorative Sciences and the Office of Communications and Development at Baylor College of Dentistry, hosts Dental Health Check, the only weekly dental feature shot on location in the nation.
