Low cost dental care is not impossible anymore, but how does one get affordable quality dental plans ? There are now many possibilities that can allow you to receive dental care without spending too much and without derailing your budget. This way, you are ready for any dental problem that might come up. Dental care has always been a problem for majority of people. And since one could go long without seeking dental care, people usually put it on the bottom of the financial priority list.
But now, people are becoming more aware of the need to seek dental care. Unfortunately, this does not mean they go on to seek dental care. Majority of them are still unable to do so because of budget constraints. Thankfully, there are some low cost dental care options to solve this problem.
Top Low Cost Dental Care Insurance Options – Affordable Quality Dental Plans Options
- PPO dental plans
- HMO dental plans
- Dental indemnity plans
1. PPO dental plans
The PPO setup is the most popular option to get low cost dental care these days. PPO stands for Preferred Provider Organization. This means that the PPO dental plans are offered by organizations wherein members are allowed to enjoy discounted dental care rates from their preferred providers, or dentists that they choose for themselves. This is the biggest advantage of this type of insurance plan. It offers you the flexibility to choose your own dentist, so you can even still go to your old dentist and enjoy discounts from your plan.
PPO plans offer good discounts, but these are definitely not the cheapest option in the market. The flexibility the plans offer do come with a price. Nonetheless, you still get good coverage and dental care coming from dentists that you trust.
2. HMO dental plans
Then there are HMO dental plans, which are considered as the opposite of PPO plans. HMO dental plans are less flexible because you cannot choose any dentist. You do get to choose your own dentist, but you can only choose from within the HMO network, which consists of dentists who have signed up with your HMO dental plan provider to participate in the program. You can choose only dentists who have agreed to honor discounts from the said HMO you joined.
Members are also often asked to choose one dentist who will be assigned as the members’ primary care provider. This will be the dentist assigned to that specific member. If the member needs specialty care, he or she has to get a referral from his or her primary care provider.
Due to its limitations, HMO plans are less costly than PPO plans, making it a better low cost dental care alternative. It is also often used by employers to insure their employees because it is very affordable.
3. Dental indemnity plans
Next up are dental indemnity plans, which are more commonly used by businesses or groups. These are also called fee-for-service plans. The setup is that members have to pay dentists for any dental procedure they avail of. They have to make payments in full, then they will claim for compensation or reimbursement from the dental indemnity plan. Some people prefer the reimbursement system because it has fewer details and benefits are more direct.
The problem with this low cost dental care option is that it might take you some time to receive your reimbursement and premiums are higher than what is charged for HMO or PPO plans. Fortunately, this also offers flexibility. Like in PPO plans, members are also allowed to choose dentists and change dentists freely. They can also go to specialists without the need for referrals.
The Ultimate Solution to Low Cost Dental Care: Affordable Discount Plans
These days, however, people are more into discount dental plans. This is yet another low cost dental care alternative that provides more convenience and less hassle than traditional dental insurance plans. Discount plans offer members discounts on most procedures. Some dental plans enumerate the procedures they cover. For example, some may include cosmetic procedures and orthodontics, while some may not. Most discount plans emphasize on the importance of preventive care because the objective of discount plans is to encourage everyone to seek basic dental care.
These are not considered as insurance plans because they do not require deductibles and you will not be asked to pay monthly premiums. This low cost dental care option allows you to enjoy huge discounts of up to 60% on general procedures and up to 25% on specialty procedures. All you have to do is become a member and pay the membership fee, which is around $120 per member per year. This is definitely the best low cost dental care option around in your search for affordable quality dental plans discounts.