New Patient

New Patient | Dental plans are a form of insurance that is specifically designed to cover dental services and procedures related to the teeth. Most people purchase their dental plans separately from regular health insurance that may not provide coverage for dental services. 

Learn more below. Contact our office today!

Key Takeaways: 

• Dental insurance will assist you in paying for a portion of the cost of your needed dental care.
• Dental insurance plans often cover the full cost of preventive care, like checkups and cleanings.
• Each dental plan will have an annual maximum limit on how much covered care will be paid for. 

Dental Insurance Benefits

In short, specific services and treatments are covered by dental benefits. Your individual insurance plan will specify which services are covered and how much your insurer will pay for each dental service.

Covered dental services normally fall into three categories:

• Preventive dental care
• Basic services
• Major dental procedures 

Your individual insurance plan will identify what percentage of each type of service or procedure is covered. For example, most plans pay for 100% of preventive dental services, while others typically provide a lower percentage of coverage for basic care and major procedures.

Preventative care

Preventative dental care helps with the prevention of oral health conditions. Plans typically include a high level of coverage for these services because they help to prevent more expensive procedures down the road. 

Some types of preventive care:

• Dental exams
• Routine teeth cleaning
• Fluoride treatment
• X-rays
• Dental sealants

Basic Services

Basic dental coverage helps with payment for expenses related to routine, non-preventive care, like:

• Dental fillings
• Tooth extractions
• Root canal treatment

In general, most insurers have plans that cover 80% of the cost of basic dental care. So you would be covering your deductible and any expenses exceeding your annual maximum when receiving basic dental care.

Major Procedures

 Your dental plan may or may not cover major procedures. In other words, you will likely pay a higher co-payment or co-insurance for major procedures, which normally include:

• Dental crowns
• Dentures
• Dental implants
• Oral surgery

Moreover, dental insurance plans often cover half of the cost of major procedures. However, this may involve a waiting period before you can have such a procedure performed.

Does dental insurance involve deductibles?

Most dental insurance plans require you to pay for some of out-of-pocket for some types of covered services. This includes a new patient or existing. Other plans do not require a deductible for diagnostic or preventative services.

However, specific covered dental services will vary by the individual dental plan. For example, dental plans do not typically provide coverage for dental services that are considered to be cosmetic, like porcelain veneers or teeth whitening. In addition, many do not cover orthodontic treatment.

Learn More

Find out with a dental consultation and exam! Our dental office accepts new patients. Call (703) 743-7862 or schedule and appointment online.