Paying for the Dentist Without Insurance: Dental Insurance vs. Dental Discount Plan

Dental care is a crucial component to good health, but what if you don’t have dental coverage? Unfortunately, many people end up letting their oral health fall to the wayside simply because they don’t have dental insurance.

Many uninsured people falsely assume that they’re forced to choose between paying for expensive dental treatment or going without dental care. But that isn’t true! And if you skip preventative dental care, you could in fact end up with a bigger bill in the long run.

What is Dental Insurance?

Dental insurance is a special type of health insurance that you use to pay for dental visits. Most plans operate by collecting a monthly fee in exchange for partial or total coverage of dental costs.

When considering your options, your first step should be to look into dental care from your employer (or from your spouse’s employer). If you work for a company that offers dental coverage, it probably makes sense to pay for your dental care that way.

Most dental plans cover 100% of preventative dental care, which typically means having the following procedures each year:

• 2 dental cleanings
• 1 set of dental x-rays
• 2 dental exams

However, coverage levels are greatly varied, so do your research. Many plans have maximum spending limits, and others don’t. Some cover treatments completely, while others will require a copay.

What is a Dental Discount Plan?

Many dental offices have in-house dental plans. Usually, those plans operate under an annual flat fee in exchange for discounted rates for services. Many patients like to think of it the same way you would a club membership at a wholesale store.

This is another situation where costs vary greatly, but most annual fees are between $150 and $350. Most patients who are in relatively good dental health find that discount plans are a better value than out-of-pocket expenses for an individual dental health plan. One consideration is the level of care you need. If you need to see multiple specialists for more than just regular cleanings or occasional fillings, the discount plan may not be your best bet.

However, patients who have basic dental needs usually save money by going with an in-house dental plan.

An In-House Dental Plan From Sage Dental Care

At Sage Dental Care, our goal is to provide quality dental care to as many people as possible. It’s important to us that patients are able to afford the care they need. That’s why, in addition to accepting most dental insurance plans, we offer options for paying for the dentist without insurance.

Our options for paying without insurance include our own in-house plan, called Gloss Dental Discount Plan. You can click here to learn more about the benefits of our Gloss Dental Plan.

Contact Your Dentist in Westminster

Sage Dental Care is committed to providing great dental care to our patients at an affordable rate. If you have any questions, check out our new patient information page, or contact our office.