Dentists make a lot of money everyday. This is mainly because dentists have to treat more than 32 teeth in one adult, multiply that by the potential number of patients he meets everyday. That's huge! This and the high costs of dental materials and technology make dental treatments a pain in our wallets. Shelling out money nowadays is not what everyone approves of especially if it won't kill us not to spend for that certain thing. Still some people are inherently health-conscious (and probably vain) that they are willing to spend a chunk of their earnings for these costly dental treatments.
Good thing there are dental insurance and discount dental plans that we can avail to make dental services available for all even for those not-so health conscious. But what is the difference between the two? Generally the difference is primarily attributed to the application process, cost and accessibility. What really makes discount dental plans edgier?
Application Process
If you already experienced applying for a health insurance, you may have noticed how much time you spend on the application process alone. If you are lucky, you would be able to complete the whole process within 3 to 7 working days. However, since most health insurance companies impose background checks (e.g. existing conditions) on their clients, rarely would you be able to enjoy the benefits immediately. This is exactly the same process as in getting a dental insurance. In short, long waiting period is needed if you opt to avail a dental insurance.
Dental plans however are instant. You can already enjoy the benefits immediately. Application process is a breeze since most plans are up and running after 3 days. There is also no background check since there is absolutely no health restrictions. If you have an existing orthodontic therapy being done, chances are in dental insurance, this will not be covered. No coverage means you get to pay for the treatment your self. When you avail of the discount dental plan, you get discounts even with your existing orthodontic treatment.
Cost
As with other health insurances, you also have to pay for premiums. Discount dental plans on the other hand requires you to pay an annual membership fee for as low as $7 per month compared to the $304 a month with dental insurance. Imagine how much you can save a month if you avail a discount dental plan!
But what about the quality of dental service, will it differ significantly with the more expensive dental insurance?
Not at all! In fact dentists are making more money with such plans because this is a means by which they can market their practice. If you think quality will be compromised, you thought wrong!
Accessibility
Dental insurance is not for everybody. This is because a dental visits and dental cases are too predictable - you have to visit your dentist at least twice a year plus the fact that we are still not in a cavity-free world. Dental insurance companies would not risk giving out dental insurance everywhere because of this predictability of dental patients. If you are really willing to avail an insurance, it would take a lot of time and negotiations before you can actually have your teeth treated.
This is why discount dental plans stand out - it is very much available for all. All you need is sign up for a membership for a very minimal fee and you can already enjoy discounts whether you like a teeth whitening treatment or any cosmetic work done.
Dental insurance and discount dental plans both work to satisfy its goal - to make financial burden lighter for a dental patient. However, in this time and age, not all that's expensive is gold. Sometimes, what you get with half the price of the expensive stuff you intend to buy is much, much better.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
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