Dental insurance vs. dental plans

On first glance, it would be easy to think that personal dental insurance and individual dental insurance plans are the same thing. But in reality there is a big difference between a dental plan and dental insurance. (The same difference also applies to a vision plan versus eye insurance.) The main differences are how much of a financial burden each system places on the policy holder and how much flexibility each one gives the individual patient.

The main difference between a dental plan and dental insurance is this: a plan gives you access to a group of dentists and a discount on services; insurance may or may not specify which doctor you can see, but limits the amount you will pay on services for each visit or throughout the year. This limit is why getting something like dental individual insurance is more expensive than having a discount dental plan.

There are pluses and minuses to both systems. Having access to something like Delta dental insurance is great for people who are employed and have a dental plan offered by their employers, since they only have to pay a fraction of the premiums. However, the monthly fees can be quite expensive for people looking for individual plans, since they can’t take advantage of the power of group buying like an employer can. Dental plans eliminate these monthly premiums by making it a one-time cost paid yearly to be part of the plan – costs that are typically lower than what people with insurance coverage pay throughout the year.

If you are only planning on going in for routine visits like check-ups and cleaning, then dental plans are an attractive solution – the discounts make it very affordable to get these things done. However, if major work is needed like a root canal or braces, insurance can limit the amount that you and your family must pay for any one year. This is why it’s important to think about your own unique needs when evaluating dental insurance and dental plans before making a decision.