Oral health and hygiene should be a priority for everyone, which is why it’s so important to regularly visit the dentist. Dental insurance is an important aspect of ensuring that individuals and families can afford to regularly get dental care.
If you’re in the market for dental insurance for yourself or your family, you should know that there are different types of plans out there. Here’s some information about the most common types of plans and the differences between them:
Preferred Provider Organization
A Preferred Provider Organization, or PPO, involves a network of dentists and dental specialists who will provide their dental services for fees that are set ahead of time, according to a contract. The number of dentists and dental specialists and the services they provide will depend on the individual plan. Dentists who operate outside of the network are not bound by any contract and are free to charge less or likely more than that fee.
Dental Health Maintenance Organization
Under the structure of a Dental Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) dentists within the network are paid a set fee every month to provide the dental services that are covered by the plan whether or not you go to the dentist. Some of these services won’t cost anything to insured while others may require a co-payment.
Indemnity Plan
Under an indemnity plan, a patients may be able to choose their own dentist, but in some cases, it can be paired with a PPO. The insurance company will pay out claims based on the services that the patient has received, generally as a percentage of the charges.
Use Dental Benefits or Lose Them
No matter what kind of insurance you have, you should be taking full advantage of your benefits. In many cases, you will lose whatever benefits you don’t use by the end of the year.
Options for Those Without Dental Insurance
For patients without dental insurance, Capital Dental Group offers a Membership Club. The Capital Dental Group Membership Club covers annual exams, cleanings, and needed X-rays; provides a 20% discount off all other treatments, like orthodontics; and more for as little as $27 a month. The Membership Club is available for children as well.
If you’re looking to make use of your dental benefits, Capital Dental Group in Bakersfield, CA, can help. We offer a wide array of services from general dentistry to cosmetic to sedation dentistry. Schedule your appointment today!