Is a health and dental deductible an amount you have to reach through monthly payments before the insurers?

Question

start to help you pay for medical expenses?

Answer 1

No, that is your monthly payment.
Deductible is the amount you need to pay out of pocket for services. When it is reached, insurance will co-pay or pay 100% for the rest of the costs. Thus, a $250 deductible for dentistry means you pay the first $250, then insurance helps. This is independent of the monthly amount you pay for the insurance.

Answer 2

A health/dental insurance deductible is a limit you must first reach before they will start paying. So if it's $500.00 then you have to shell out $500 ON TOP of your monthly payments before the carrier will kick in. That amount(deductible) is paid to the provider, not the insurance company.
Basically, your monthly payments don't apply to the deductible. Like car insurance. You pay every month, but when you get into an accident they don't apply your monthly payments to your deductible.