subject: Restorative Dentists: Getting A Good Insurance Plan [print this page] As with any dental work, seeing restorative dentists can be expensive. If it is work that can wait, you may be able to get insurance, which can then cover some of your costs. Of course, some insurance companies view crowns and the like as cosmetic in nature, and thus won't cover the costs. You should look into getting a plan that has a more liberal coverage policy. Those insurance companies that have the customer's best interests at heart will understand that nearly everything (short of whitening) has both a cosmetic and protective/health purpose. Here are some tips on getting good insurance:
Cost
Obviously, you pay for insurance so that you don't wind up in a sticky financial situation when you go see restorative dentists. However, a plan might not make sense if the cost of a likely procedure is much less than what you're paying in your yearly premiums. Considering that many plans won't cover you for anything exceeding $1,000, the entire concept of dental insurance is thrown into serious question. Still, if you can get premiums that are exceedingly affordable, it's a nice cushion to have.
Restorative Dentists
In addition to looking at the cost of premiums and the maximum allowed coverage, you'll want to pay attention to who is in the participating network. If you go to an office that isn't in the network, it may be the same as not buying insurance in the first place. If you don't really care where you go for treatment, this may not matter. You can just pick someone from the network and you'll be fine. If you have someone specifically in mind, however, you should ask them which kinds of insurance they take and use that as a jumping off point.
Waiting
If you're buying insurance as a protection policy (how, indeed, the plans are meant to work,) you should still understand that there will be a certain waiting period between purchasing the policy and the "kick-in" date. During this period, any work you have done will not be covered. It could be as short as a month, or as long as a year. Find out before you sign up. If you are buying insurance to cover work you already know you need, you're definitely going to want to look for a plan with a shorter waiting period. If there are already medical records in place showing your need for the work, you may not be covered for it, anyway.
by: Aloysius Aucoin
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