In-House Dental Plans - Sounds Good, But Is It?

There are many dental centers that now offer their own dental plan. This is a great concept for the dental office, but what is the benefit for the patient?  You may be surprised to learn that it can be very limited.

By providing a plan for their patients, the dental office can help the patient save money on their treatment plan. The office will then discount the fees based on their usual and customary rates (UCR). This may sound good for the patient, but when compared to an independent dental plan, the savings are not always significant.  Also, the coverage offered by that center in most cases does not extend past that office or corporation. Consequently, if a problem arises with quality of care or if the patient is unhappy with the dentist for any reason, they will have to forfeit their plan benefits to go to another facility.

If you are being lured into an in-house dental plan by your dental office, take the time to study your options.  Many facilities have jumped in to the ring of dental plan coverage but some have not done their homework; that is they may not be compliant with individual state law or insurance commission rules and regulations.   Make sure your savings are reasonable and that you have options when it comes to specialists and treatment guarantees.  

Keep smiling!