Trying to decide between dental plans vs. dental insurance in Gonzales, Louisiana? Why not choose both and enjoy comprehensive dental care? In this article, we will clarify the distinctions between these two options and help you understand why having both is highly beneficial.
What Are Dental Plans?
Dental plans, also known as dental discount programs, are not insurance plans but rather membership programs that provide discounted rates on dental services. You pay an annual fee to join and then receive reduced prices on treatments from participating dentists. These plans typically offer savings on a wide variety of dental services, from routine care to major procedures.
Benefits of Dental Plans
Dental plans can be an excellent option if you are looking for immediate savings on dental care. There are no waiting periods, so you can start using the discounts right away. These plans also often have no annual limits, meaning you can receive as many discounts as needed throughout the year.
Limitations of Dental Plans
While dental plans offer immediate savings, they do not provide the same level of financial protection as insurance. You will still be responsible for the majority of the costs, even at a discounted rate. In addition, these plans usually require you to visit dentists within their network, which may limit your choices.
What Is Dental Insurance?
Dental insurance is a policy you purchase to help with dental care fees. You usually pay a premium every month, and the insurance covers a portion of your dental expenses.
Coverage can vary widely depending on the plan, but most include preventive care like dental cleanings and exams, basic procedures like fillings and some major treatments such as crowns and root canals.
Benefits of Dental Insurance
One of the main advantages of dental insurance is the financial protection it offers for unexpected dental issues. By covering a substantial portion of the costly treatments, it can help reduce your out-of-pocket expenses. Insurance also encourages regular dentist visits, which can help catch problems early.
Limitations of Dental Insurance
Most policies come with annual maximums, which cap the amount the insurance will pay in a year. Additionally, some major treatments need to be verified and approved by your provider beforehand to be covered.Â
Many policies also have waiting periods for certain procedures, meaning you may not be instantly covered for more extensive treatments when you first sign up.Â
Combining Both Options
The good thing is that you do not have to choose between dental insurance and a dental plan at all. Many find that combining both provides the best coverage and cost savings.
If you anticipate needing extensive dental work or want the security of having a portion of your costs covered, you can use your insurance. If you want to save on routine care and minor procedures not fully covered by your insurance, you can take advantage of the immediate discounts through your dental plan.
Maximize Your Coverage and Savings at Grand Family Dentistry.
At Grand Family Dentistry, we believe that every person should be able to pay for dental care. That is why we provide both the options of dental insurance and dental plans at our practice.
We gladly accept insurance policies from many providers, from Aetna and AlwaysCare to The Standard and UnitedHealthcare. For those without dental insurance, we also offer a great dental membership plan to give our patients discounts on all procedures.Â
Contact our team today to discuss more financial options for your dental care.