I Need a Dental Appointment, But What Does Dental Insurance Cover?

“You need to go to the Dentist.” This statement never brings feelings of joy or anticipation, but instead dental anxiety. The truth is that without routine care and maintenance, you can have numerous health related problems that can end up costing you financially in the long run. More than 3 out of 4 Americans have dental insurance, but most don’t know what the insurance covers. The following post will help you get a better understanding of how coverage works and why you shouldn’t skip out on that six month appointment.

What Does Dental Insurance Cover?

Although Dental Insurance can help offset the cost of treatment, unlike Health Insurance, Dental Insurance has a finite amount it covers per year (usually $1000-$2000 per year). Each procedure falls under a group and groups are paid at different percentages. Preventative treatment (like exams, cleanings, x-rays) are usually covered at 100%. Major work is generally paid at 50%.

So, if the work costs $1200, the patient pays half $600. Once the yearly amount has been paid out, the patient is then responsible for any balances. So it helps to have insurance, but it does not cover everything, and many plans put limitations and exclusions in place.

How Dental Health Affects Overall Health

Oral Health doesn’t just affect your mouth. Infections in the mouth have access to the bloodstream and can affect your systemic health. It can cause uncontrolled diabetic issues, low birth weight in newborns, increased risk of heart attack and stroke. And let’s not forget how offensive bad breath is…

Delay in moving forward with any needed dental care is not your best move. Every cavity starts out as a small, relatively inexpensive procedure. BUT procrastination can increase the cost by up to 10x more or it may not be saveable if you waited too long! Loss of a tooth can start a domino effect of shifting, tipping, and dropping of other teeth. In addition, loss of teeth can change the shape of your face, cause speech impediments, and without back teeth to chew our food properly, we do not get the maximum nutrition from our diets.

Conclusion

So the bottom line, if you have dental insurance, USE IT! Dodging a dental appointment has more impact on your health than you know. Using your dental insurance on preventative care can ensure you the best chances of avoiding major dental work needing to be done.

We want to help you achieve great dental health and keep your costs low, that’s our promise.

If you are looking for a Scripps Ranch dentist that puts their patients first, contact Oasis Dental Arts today! Our friendly staff is ready to help answer your questions and get you in the office, and out with a smile.

You can schedule an appointment by giving us a call at (858) 271-1010 or schedule online by clicking here.