Many people are concerned about the potential cost of dental bills. While basic dental care is relatively reasonable, if you need a more complex procedure, costs are more significant, and it is difficult to save up enough for your personal emergency dental fund.
Buying dental insurance is an excellent way to save money on the cost of your dental care and make it affordable. Dental coverage ensures you receive the care you need to keep your teeth and gums healthy, which has also been tied to your overall health.
Key Takeaways
- Dental insurance can provide significant savings on dental care costs. Despite provincial health insurance not covering dental work, one can purchase affordable dental insurance plans for regular and emergency needs.
- Being aware of your insurance coverage details, including annual maximums and other specifics, enables efficient use of the plan. More comprehensive coverage usually applies to preventive care and basic dental services.
- Be prepared for waiting periods before claiming for specific costly procedures like orthodontics. Dental plans often have a yearly maximum and may limit coverage for some procedures to every other year.
- Communicating your financial concerns and insurance details with your dentist can help maximize your dental insurance’s benefits.
- Consider scheduling dental procedures in a way that takes full advantage of your insurance plan’s yearly maximum amounts, potentially splitting treatments across two years.
- When selecting a private dental insurance plan, confirm that it sufficiently covers basic dental services.
- Good oral health through preventive care and early treatment reduces the need for complex, expensive dental work. Most dental insurance plans provide higher coverage for preventive care.
- Regular checkups and early treatments can avoid serious dental conditions. Dental insurance plans often cover a significant portion of simpler restorations, like fillings.
- Hamilton Mountain Dental Group offers assistance in coordinating and maximizing the use of dental insurance plans, prioritizing optimal dental health for each family member.
Not Covered By Provincial Health
In general, dental work is not covered by provincial health insurance. The Ontario Health Insurance Plan does not cover dental care other than extreme exceptions for complex jaw bone surgeries such as tumour removal, fracture repairs, and jaw reconstruction performed in a hospital.
If you do not have a dental plan through an employer, you can buy affordable dental benefits coverage that should meet your needs. You should shop around or use a broker to help you find the most reduced rate for dental plans.
Review Your Coverage To Maximize Use
Knowing what your coverage is, including annual maximums and other details, will help you use your insurance plan more efficiently. Preventive care and basic dental services usually have more comprehensive coverage, so should be used to the maximum amounts, not only for your better oral health but also so it does not go to waste.
Be Aware Of Waiting Periods and Limitations
You may have to wait a period of time before being allowed to claim for certain expensive procedures, such as orthodontics. Also, your dental plan will have a yearly maximum for amounts paid within a year, but coverage for some dental procedures may have a limit on use to only every other year.
Insurance companies’ maximums are based on provincial fee schedules for dentist or dental hygienist work completed; additional costs on top of those are not covered.
Knowing what your restrictions are, and making sure to use coverage as soon as it is available, and for as much as possible, will help ensure you do not end up having to receive dental care at times when you are not covered.
Discuss Your Treatment Plan With Your Dentist
Let your dentist know about any concerns about costs and try to maximize the use of your dental insurance, as there may be some options.
Schedule Dental Treatment
Discuss treatment options with your dentist, and ask about options in scheduling dental procedures. You may be able to schedule a dental treatment in two visits to take advantage of your dental insurance plan yearly maximum amounts for two years, to have more of the treatment paid for, and to leave no benefit amounts unused.
Ensure Your Insurance Covers Basic Dental Services Sufficiently
When choosing a private dental insurance plan, make sure it will meet your needs.
Better Oral Health Reduces Dental Work Required
Preventive care and early treatment are the cornerstones of good oral health so you are less likely to need more complex and expensive dental work. The better your general oral health, the shorter and cheaper your visits to the dentist will be. Your health and your finances benefit.
Prevent Oral and Dental Health Issues
Keep your teeth and gums healthy. Most dental insurance plans coverage is higher for preventive care, and many even cover up to 100% of services like routine checkups and exams, professional cleanings, sealants, and fluoride treatments. If you are looking for private insurance, be sure the insurance company covers these services well, as these are basic procedures and services you are sure to need and want coverage on.
FAQs on Reducing Dental Costs With Dental Insurance
1. What kind of dental procedures does a typical dental insurance plan cover?
Typical dental insurance plans cover preventive care and basic dental services such as routine checkups, professional cleanings, sealants, and fluoride treatments. Most plans also cover 80% of simple restorations, like fillings.
2. What dental procedures are not covered by provincial health insurance?
Provincial health insurance, like the Ontario Health Insurance Plan, typically doesn’t cover dental care, except for extreme cases like complex jaw bone surgeries, tumour removal, fracture repairs, and jaw reconstruction performed in a hospital.
3. What should I be aware of regarding the waiting periods and limitations of dental insurance plans?
Many dental insurance plans have a waiting period for certain costly procedures like orthodontics. They also come with an annual maximum for payments made within a year, with some procedures having usage limits.
4. How can I maximize the use of my dental insurance plan?
Knowing your coverage details, using preventive care and basic services to their fullest, and discussing treatment plans and scheduling with your dentist can help you maximize the use of your dental insurance plan.
5. How can dental insurance help me reduce overall dental costs?
Dental insurance can greatly reduce your out-of-pocket costs for basic services and restorations. Regular checkups and preventive care can detect and address issues early on, preventing the need for more complex, costly procedures. This, in turn, leads to much cheaper dental care overall.
Treat Concerns Early to Avoid Serious Dental Conditions
Most dental insurance plans cover 80% of more simple restorations, such as fillings, greatly reducing the out-of-pocket costs for these treatments. Regular checkups allow for early detection of dental problems, especially since x-rays are usually covered, so only a simple restoration is needed. This makes for much cheaper dental care.
Many insurance companies believe that insurance plan members should contribute a reasonable amount towards services that result from neglecting their dental health, so will cover less for procedures to address concerns that have developed to a later stage. Procedures like scaling may be limited to just 50%. As a result, prioritizing preventive care and early treatment is your best option.
Hamilton Mountain Dental
Located at 79 Rymal Road West, Hamilton, ON L9B 1B5, Hamilton Mountain Dental Group is more than just a dental office. As a premier dentist in Hamilton, we are committed to offering you the best possible care, making your oral health our top priority.
We’re here to help you coordinate and maximize the use of your dental insurance plans. Our skilled and compassionate team works to ensure that every member of your family receives personalized treatment to achieve optimal dental health. We offer a comprehensive range of services to meet your specific dental care needs, including preventive measures, restorative procedures, and cosmetic enhancements.
At Hamilton Mountain Dental Group, we not only treat your teeth, gums, and mouth but also ensure your comfort and satisfaction with every visit. Our team is dedicated to providing high-quality dental care tailored to your individual needs. To schedule an appointment or for more information, please call us at 905-388-1977. We’re looking forward to meeting you and helping you maintain a healthy, radiant smile.
