Is there any dental insurance thats worth having?

Question

I need major work (I had an accident and lost a tooth) and I am being told by my dentist that I have to pay out of pocket 60%. This seems so high to me, expecially when I pay out the butt for dental insurance every month! Is all dental insurance like this? Are discount dental programs better? I can't afford to pay 60% of my dental work. Its going to be over $3000. Does this make sense? Whats the point of getting dental insurance if you still have to pay ridiculous amounts of money anyway?

I have not been neglecting my teeth, I had an accident.

Answer 1

Normally, I would say dental insurance is not worth the $ spent monthly. Although it may seem like it when you run into big procedures like the one you have encountered. I'm assuming you are looking at either a bridge or an implant since you lost only one of your teeth- and yes, $3K is reasonable. (I would opt for the implant if I were you- it will last much longer.) Discount plans are a JOKE. It sounds like you may have a plan that increases over the years. The average plan covers 100% of preventative (cleanings, x-rays) 80% of restorative (fillings, sometimes even root canals and periodontal cleanings) and 50% of major (crowns, bridges, dentures). Some plans say 40% for the first year of coverage, then up it to 50%. Either way, I'd keep your insurance until your treatment is complete. Personally, then I'd ditch it and just go in every six months (unless your dentist recommends 3-4 months) and MAINTAIN your dental health!! When you average out the cost of those semi-annual appointments, they will probably cost less than you spend annually on your dental insurance. Good luck!

Answer 2

Dental insurance is great for covering things like exams and cleanings and xrays two times a year. Usually, if you take advantage of this, you rarely need $3,000 of dental work because they can treat minor problems before they turn into major ones.