Dental insurance can be very useful for keeping the costs of oral surgery under control. Unfortunately, it can also be quite confusing at times, which can make things more stressful than they need to be. The good news is that learning more about dental insurance can make navigating your plan much easier; here are 5 important facts to help you get started.
1. An HMO is Cheaper Than a PPO but Has Less Freedom
It’s vital to know the difference between an HMO and a PPO when it comes to dental insurance. HMOs usually cost less, but they will only cover treatments at practices that are within their network. Meanwhile, PPOs may have higher prices, but they also offer out-of-network coverage, meaning you have more flexibility in choosing an oral surgeon.
2. Your Dental Plan May Have a Waiting Period
You may want to start taking advantage of your dental insurance benefits right away, but if you just bought your plan, you will likely need to wait a bit for your coverage to kick in. While the waiting period for preventive care tends to be very short, you may have to wait a matter of months until your plan starts paying for other services.
3. Your Benefits Reset at the End of the Year
Dental benefits do not roll over; they reset at the beginning of a new annual period. This fact can be used to your advantage when it comes to treatments that require more than one visit. You can schedule the first visit toward the end of the year so that you can use your current benefits. Then, once your plan resets, your renewed benefits can help you pay for the second visit.
4. Dental Insurance Focuses on Preventive Care
While dental insurance does pay for both preventive and restorative services, coverage for preventive care is usually higher. So while your plan might be willing to pay 100% of the cost of a regular dental checkup and cleaning, it will likely only cover around 50% of the cost of oral surgery (although that percentage can vary from plan to plan). Keep that in mind if you think you might need any advanced procedures performed in the near future.
5. You Can Always Ask for Help If You Have Questions
If there’s anything you don’t understand about your dental plan, you can talk to your dental insurance carrier to see if they can clear it up. Furthermore, you can speak to the team members at your oral surgeon’s office if there’s anything you want to clarify; they can explain the important points of your plan and give you an estimate of your available benefits.
About the Practice
Here at Northern Virginia Oral, Maxillofacial, & Implant Surgery, we want to make your oral surgery as stress-free as possible. Part of that means helping you take full advantage of your dental insurance. We are currently in-network with MetLife, Guardian, and various other plans. To schedule a consultation at our Burke office, visit our website or call (703) 425-5010.