Discount Dental Plans vs. Dental Insurance: Which is the Best Option?

If you are uninsured, underinsured or have health insurance but not dental coverage, you might understandably be putting off those preventive visits to your dentist, such as routine cleanings and exams.
Delaying dental visits does carry risks. By going in for routine dental visits and taking care of your oral health, you can prevent more costly, invasive dental procedures in the future. If you know you need a crown, root canal or dental bridge, but you don’t know how you’re going to afford to pay for them, you’re not alone.
Discount dental plans are not a form of insurance, but they can be a low-cost solution to helping to lower your dental costs, even on dental surgery or dentures. While both discount dental plans and dental insurance lower your costs for dental care, there are some key differences.
Dental insurance usually carries higher monthly premiums, but often covers your annual cleanings, x-rays and exams. The problem is, most dental insurance coverage has a waiting period, especially for more expensive dental procedures. You may need a crown now, but the procedure may not be covered under your insurance policy for a year or more. Depending on the dental work you need and your deductible, dental insurance may cover a portion of the costs up to a specified amount.
Discount dental plans are affordable, low-cost alternatives to dental insurance. AmeriPlan individual dental plans start at $14.95 per month and offer no waiting periods. There isn’t any paperwork to file, and the discount dental plans are accepted by nearly 30,000 dental providers within the AmeriPlan Network. AmeriPlan members receive substantial discounts on dental procedures, from 25 percent to 80 percent. These discounts also apply to dental work that dental insurance may not cover, like braces.
Your teeth are a wise investment, but even if you don’t have dental insurance, you shouldn’t have to pay full price for your necessary dental and health care.