As a frugal individual, you may periodically set aside time to evaluate your spending. Occasionally, you may decide to cancel services or subscriptions that are no longer worth paying for. What about your dental insurance? Is it a superfluous expense, or can it actually help you save money in the long run? This blog post discusses why the latter is the case.
Preventive Care Is Completely Covered
Most PPO dental insurance plans completely cover the cost of two preventive appointments each year. That means you could enjoy your semi-annual cleanings and checkups, as well as necessary X-rays, for nothing out of pocket. You might not even need to pay a deductible. In many cases, the value of covered preventive services exceeds the annual cost of a dental insurance policy.
You Can Prevent Expensive Procedures
If you visit your dentist twice a year for a checkup and cleaning, you give your dentist the opportunity to diagnose most oral health problems while they are still in the early stages of their development. For example, they might discover that you have a small cavity. Your dental insurance may cover up to 80% of the cost of necessary treatment, so your total bill may be quite low.
On the other hand, if you do not have dental insurance, you may be less likely to visit your dentist for checkups and cleanings. You might be unaware of developing problems until they are causing you significant pain. What started out as a small cavity may progress to become a major spot of decay. You might end up needing root canal therapy and a crown. It is even possible that you will have to get the tooth extracted and replaced by a dental implant. Such services can cost thousands of dollars.
You Can Protect Your Overall Health
Scientific researchers have established a strong link between oral health and overall health. For example, advanced gum disease is strongly associated with an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and other serious conditions. If you use your dental insurance to maintain a healthy smile, you could prevent, or at least delay, the onset of expensive and life-changing medical problems.
Is dental insurance worth the money? It is if you use it! Learn how your policy works so you can take advantage of your coverage in the most advantageous way possible.
Meet the Practice
Family Dental Practice of Bloomfield offers top-quality care at reasonable prices. As an insurance-friendly practice, we welcome more than 200 different dental insurance plans, including ones from popular companies like Aetna, BlueCross BlueShield, and more. If you would like to learn how we could help you maximize your benefits, contact our office at 860-263-0441.