Dental Insurance

What is dental insurance?

It’s no secret that dental treatment costs can be quite expensive. Dental insurance offers a way to access high quality treatment through insurance plans involving monthly or annually payments. These plans may cover the entire family or only certain members of the family. The aim is to provide cover for all kinds of dental treatments, including preventative treatment, minor or major treatment.

Dental health insurance policies may cover only NHS dental treatments, or both private and NHS dental treatment.

Generally, your dental insurance plan will include limits that can be paid for a particular treatment, as well as a special limit for the total amount payable for that treatment during a period of one year. The cover may also extend to include dental emergencies. When you undergo treatment you pay the dentist, and then file claims to get the money back from your dental insurer.

Types of Dental Insurance Plans

There are a vide variety of dental plans available with a range of premiums. These premiums can depend on the age of the applicant, and can differ greatly. Check ups are not really necessary before the setting of a premium.

Benefits of Dental Insurance
Dental insurance allows you not only to claim back the money that you spend on your dental treatment, but also allows you to choose your dentist. You can claim dental expenses, regardless of whether you use a private dentist or a NHS dentist, although this may depend on the kind of dental plan you are covered under, and the insurer.


Dental Insurance Coverage
Although dental plans cover all major and minor treatments, they do not cover dental implants, treatment of injuries sustained during sports, cosmetic and orthodontic treatment, oral cancer treatment, salivary gland treatments and treatment of severe dental abscesses.

They also do not pay the entire cost of the dental treatment. Most only pay up to 75% of the total cost of treatment, and may place a maximum annual cap on the amount payable. Your policy will also have a fixed maximum annual pay out. Most plans will require you to enroll for cover at least 3 months before claiming expenses, but this differs according to the insurer.

Types of Dental Insurance plans
You can choose a capitation scheme where you are required to pay every month. This scheme covers dental check ups, X-Rays and tooth extractions. You don’t have to settle a bill every time you take treatment, and the premium can be set after a dental consultation. The disadvantage here is that you can only receive treatment from dentists who have also signed up for a capitation scheme.

The premium depends on several factors, including your dental health. These plans are best suited for those who need regular treatment, and are therefore looking to spread treatment costs.

You can choose one of two types of capitation plans:

1. Maintenance plans give you cover for two oral hygiene check-ups, including X rays and two dental examinations every year. There may be an initial signing up fee, and you may be entitled to discounts on other treatments.

2. Comprehensive Dental Insurance Plans - If you want unlimited treatment, then a comprehensive plan is for you. You will be charged a monthly fee which depends on your oral health. The better your dental health, the lower the fee.

Cash plans provide partial cover for dental treatment, besides general health screening and other treatments. Here, the cover provided can be between 50 to 75%.

Eligibility for Dental Insurance
Most insurers will insist that you have no dental work pending, and that you have reasonably good dental health. Some may even ask you to declare in writing that you visit a dentist regularly for a check up.

See also: Health insurance