Along with medical insurance, dental insurance is a close second in helping keep you healthy. With dental insurance you are more likely to visit your dentist on regularly and take care of your oral health, and that’s crucially important.

Why? Years of research shows a strong connection between oral health and a number of serious illnesses including cardiovascular diseases, obesity, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and even several cancers.

Considering the rising cost of dental care, now is a good time to look into dental insurance. There are many plans to choose from and Insureous can help you find coverage that best suits you and your family’s needs. Here are the key elements to look at when choosing a plan:

• Premiums: A good dental insurance plan on average runs about $40-50 a month. You can also find preventive-care-only plans for about half that, but these plans will not cover fillings, extractions or anything major.
• Copays: These are fixed amounts you pay for services covered by your plan.
• Coinsurance: This is the part of the bill you pay after your insurance company has paid its share and you’ve met your annual deductible.
• Deductibles: This is the amount you pay annually before your insurance kicks in. Many plans do not have a deductible.
• Annual Maximum Benefit: This is the maximum annual amount your plan will pay for services. You can find plans that go as high as $3,000 although $2,500, $2,000 and $1,500 are typical. Of course, the higher the annual maximum, the more expensive the premium.
• Waiting Period: This is the period of time you must wait for services to be covered. Most plans offer no waiting period for preventative services such as xrays and cleanings. Other more serious services such as implants require a year waiting period.
• Network: Dental networks are similar to standard health plans. You can choose from PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) plans which allow you to go to almost any dentist. HMO (Health Maintenance Organizations) or DMHO (Dental Health Maintenance Organization) allow you to go to only the dentists within network. If you go to an out-of-network dentist but entirely at your cost.

What dental insurance usually covers

Like any other type of insurance, the insurance carrier decides how much their policy will cover. It will pay you to give it a read and see what is and isn’t covered. In general, you can expect that your insurance will cover things like:

• Regular cleanings and check-ups
• Cavity fillings
• Extractions
• Crowns, bridges, and implants
• Repair work like root canals

What dental insurance doesn’t cover

The point of dental insurance is to cover the basic work needed for good oral health. Anything above that, and you shouldn’t expect to get any coverage. Things not covered include:

• Cosmetic works like teeth whitening
• Orthodontic treatments. (If you or your dependents need this, look for plans that expressly cover these services.)
• Getting braces can be expensive, especially when choosing a provider for invisible braces, and if you want to find the best option.

To be sure of what’s covered, it is essential that you check with the insurance provider so that you know the extent of your coverage.

Last, research dentists that are in your network

At the end of the day, the quality of your dental health will depend on the skill of your dentist. It is not uncommon for people to find a dentist they like and stick to them. If this is your case, ask your dentist what type of insurance they take. Or better yet, ask Insureous to do this research and find a plan that your dentist takes that is the best for you and your family.

Meta: Take a look at all the things you should know about dental insurance and what it covers in order to maintain your oral health.