Is your dental insurance worth the cost?
Is dental insurance needed?
Many dental plans are unfortunately outdated and don’t cover what patients need. At Wernick Family Dentistry, we understand the needs and concerns of our patients and in turn, created an in-house option to make dental care more affordable for everyone.
Dental insurance is NOT medical insurance and most insurance companies don’t want you to know the following facts.
Life today can leave a person’s weekly planner without much room for the unexpected. That’s why when unexpected health issues arise it can be an incredible hindrance to try to fit in doctor’s appointments; and, if you weren't prepared, pay for the visits. That is why we, Wernick Family Dentistry, have our own dental insurance plan that helps make out-of-pocket expenses less of a hard hit. Due to recent changes in insurances and the restrictions they impose on dental, we here at Wernick Family Dental now offer an in-house dental insurance program to ensure you receive necessary and unexpected checkups at a manageable, affordable rate as an alternative to a more costly and often unnecessary plan.
Many employers fail to provide dental insurance plans to their patients, not realizing the importance of a happy and healthy mouth. Teeth do far much more than allow us to snack on trail mix at our desks. They play a very large role in confidence and speech as well which is often a necessary part of the job role we play for our employers. But even employer provided plans are not perfect and aren't catered to an individual patient needs. Patients with great oral health pay the same for their policy as patients with extended dental needs. In the end, the patient with great oral health will likely pay more in one year for their dental plan then the amount of all the care provided by the dentist during that year. Even worse, you may still be expected to pay portions and deductibles on top of that. Dental insurance is not like medical insurance. There are restrictions on every plan from missing tooth clauses to waiting periods to frequency limitations. There are deductibles and maximums on a couple of x-rays for diagnostic purposes but most have none for emergency treatment.
Recently a patient came to the office with a copy of the two dental plans their employers offered. We were excited to see an employer still offering dental insurance; however, when we looked at the plans we were highly disappointed. One plan only provided $50 a year in dental coverage with a $50 deductible to use it (can you do the math there??)? Unless the patient went to a dentist who was willing to take the insurance companies rates and restrictions to the patient’s treatment, the insurance company would not provide coverage. However this plan was sold as a plan that allowed them the “freedom to choose their own dentist”. Dental offices have rising costs to manage health care and performing the procedure below or at cost would not be beneficial to the patient. Dental offices are forced to cut expenses and where do those “cuts” apply? The profit a practice makes may have to come from the dozens of non-covered services the plan didn’t offer or choosing an alternative grade material or procedure for the patient. The patient’s second plan allowed the patient to choose their dental provider without a $50 maximum a year benefit but tack on a $50 deductible and the plan cost $712 a year. This meant that the patient was paying $383 more in one year than the amount of dental work she had received in any given year for the past ten years. If she didn't get any work done that year then she paid and received nothing in return. Dental insurance does not work like medical where its “there if you need it” because the plans typically have a $1,000 - $1,500 maximum limit and often the urgency to a tooth is not even covered. If the tooth is already missing – then there is typically no coverage at all. So again, where is the benefit of having a policy that has a maximum allowance for procedures it will never cover? You will still likely end up being responsible for 100% of the service.
It was this meeting that prompted us to create our own dental insurance policy – for all patients – ranging from great oral health to complex treatment cases. We see every day the impact these “dental coupons” create. What is the goal of the insurance company to offer dental insurance? What is their motivation? Is it to have a plan that offers you great health care and a beautiful full set of teeth or to make a profit? Unfortunately, we all know the answer to that question! In the end, the insurance company would have profited almost the entire amount, the dentist would have worked for half the normal cost of the cleanings and the patient would have thrown away hundreds of dollars on an unnecessary dental plan and still been stuck covering the expenses of the crown or implant. Now officially launched to new and existing patients, we offer a plan that helps save patients hundreds of dollars to a thousand dollars a year without creating all the necessary insurance paperwork which adds eminently to the cost of dentistry. Even better, it allows you to have the treatment you want and need without restrictions from a third party.
The problems that come from trying to work through some dental insurance providers is they try to assert too much control in the treatment plan and wanting to create a lot of paperwork hoping the office will give up on collecting it. They do not understand the needs of each patient nor do they realize every treatment program is unique. Dentistry is not a “one size fits all” profession. Every patient is unique with their own health concerns and goals. Out-of-office insurance plans operate by having an insurance representative decide your case, despite the representative having no understanding of dental care beyond the insurance companies standardized training on how to look and identify anything that will “deny” claims. While networked dentists under the plan may offer what seem to be incredibly low co-payments on your part, understand that it may reflect the service you receive or the other type of choices you may select. A low payment on your part may mean you are not receiving the time or tests that your mouth deserves or the quality materials made in the United States or in a local specialized lab. It may also make it so the dentist cannot provide one hour dental cleanings or limit the time you spend with a hygienist. Our insurance program fully accounts for every one of the patient’s individual teeth, guaranteeing they receive the time and attention they may need! Without insurance restrictions the provider is not hindered by an insurance company dictating your care and can focus on what you need for your unique case.
These continuing problems created by dental insurance companies have led us to create an affordable dental program to allow for a third-party-free option that serves the patient directly. Signing up for the program is easy - Just contact us by phone and we can arrange a meeting or the paperwork for you! We will contact you after the letter arrives at our office with the effective dates and plan your dental treatment right away.
We have policies for new and established patients of our practice as well as individual and family plans. New patients who become patients receive the established plan rates their second year of coverage.
Policies range from $199-$380 a year. Contact Wernick FamilyDentistry at 757-427-2212 to learn more about our plan options.
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