By Nelda Powers


Discount dental plans allow members to get discounts after using the services of a dentist. Plan participants get to choose the dentist to visit from a list of participating dentists. These plans are different from dental insurance in that members do not pay monthly premiums. They only pay a single yearly fee and they can visit any dentist listed in a plan to enjoy discounts.

Participating dentists agree to charge less for their services in return for having their listings regularly displayed to a large list of patients. There is variation in the discounts offered in these plans. In general, you will enjoy lower rates depending on the type of services you use. For example, this plan may allow you to enjoy preventive and diagnostic services free and cover 80 percent of the cost of basic restorative services.

With many dental plans, you may save a significant amount of money on services like annual teeth cleaning and annual checkups. The main benefit of these programs is that they enable you to visit a dentist even when your budget is tight. They do not pay for the services you receive. Instead, they allow you to get discounts on the procedures you undergo at the practice of a dentist.

To participate in these programs, dentists are usually required to list their fees. This lets patients know if a particular professional is charging too much. These programs are also beneficial in that they allow members to include their relatives in them. People who are not immediate family members of a patient can benefit.

Discount plans usually have cost sharing elements for members like coinsurance, copayments and deductibles. They help ensure that members pay low fees. These programs usually have a limit on the number of times a member can receive specific services. The age of a member can also determine the kind of discounts that he or she can receive.

Dental programs also have a dollar limit that they pay for in a year. After the annual maximum is reached, these programs do not provide coverage for additional services, until the beginning of the next plan year. You will probably not reach your yearly maximum if you only utilize routine care services like cleanings, X rays, and exams.

It is essential for members of dental programs to get estimates about the cost of services from their dentist. In this way, they will not get confused after they receive a bill from the professional. They can request their dentist to provide their insurers with a treatment plan so that they can know the amount of money they can save for being in a dental plan. Dentists may also be asked to provide an insurance company with X rays and other supporting documents so that their services can be pre approved.

Insurance companies can provide patients with estimates that show the amount of money that a plan can pay, the amount of money remaining towards their deductibles, the fees they have to pay and if they are about to reach their benefit maximum. Patients should sign up for discount dental plans that cover the services they need and list the professionals they wish to visit. These programs usually come with detailed descriptions about the services covered, limitations, exclusions and requirements.




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