INSURANCE

Discounted dental plans are simply plans offered by companies as a service to enable their customers to receive additional savings when using services detailed in the plan coverage.

Discounted dental plans can be described in a way that is comparable to the store membership cards. For example the grocery chain Kroger has a shopper's reward card. If you use your "Kroger's" card and buy the items that are on sale, you can get additional savings when you purchase those items. Discounted dental plans are basically the same. When you are enrolled into a discount dental plan, and you visit a dentist that accepts the plan, you will get additional discounts on the services you receive.

Let's say you visit your regular dentist for a basic check up and cleaning. In my part of the country the average cost of a check up for an established patient is $70 and the average cost of a cleaning is $117. So with no coverage at all the cost will be $187, now if you have insurance, your cost will be based on how much of your deductible for dental care you have used for the year, which could range from 50% up to 100% if you have used all your yearly coverage. With discounted dental plans you will save anywhere from 58% up to 80% discounts on your dental care. In this case I will save 80% on the check up and 60% on the cleaning, making my total for today $61. Not bad since, my monthly cost for the plan is only $19.95, which includes my wife and two children. Dental insurance usually averages $60 per month for a single person and on up for a spouse and children.

So it is easy to see how these discounted dental plans can easily save hundreds to thousands of dollars each year. Now there is something else about these plans that are pretty cool. Let's say you want dental insurance, but find that these discounted dental plans can benefit you too. You can use both when you go to the dentist. How about another example? When my daughter needed dental work, the dentist quoted me $1750, for everything. My insurance would cover $750, for the year. Which would have left me with $1050 to pay out of pocket. The cool thing is the dentist was accepting the discounted dental plans, so they took 75% off the $1750, leaving $437.50, then submitted it to insurance which covered the rest of the cost, and left me with $312.50, left that my insurance would cover for the rest of the year. That was pretty cool, and definitely worth the 20 bucks a month. So these discounted dental plans help in stretching your insurance coverage for the year too.

One last thing about these discounted dental plans, is that they cover every procedure a dentist is licensed to do. This even included cosmetic procedures like teeth whitening and adult braces. Most insurance companies I have seen will not even give you a discount on these procedures. So I hope this clears a few things up about discounted dental plans, and helps you understand how they can further help you by saving you a lot of money of the years.

It's no secret that bills are tight for many. The ails of natural tooth loss and the desire to protect a once-healthy smile have sent many seniors scrambling for a dental savings solution. Fortunately for these seniors, there are alternative dental care savings plans that allow seniors to quickly and easily join and save on the dental specialties they need. As seniors approach age 65, many need dental care savings solutions for specialty procedures such as implants and dentures.

Current research by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research shows that as seniors surpass age 65 they will have lost, on average, 13 teeth, and 26% of people in this age group will have no remaining teeth. Combine these statistics with the unfortunate recent spike dental implant cost and a rising problem is eminent. The cost of dental implants ranges from $3,000 to replace one tooth to $50,000 to replace a mouthful of teeth. Frequent checkups, cleanings and consistent at-home care are great preventive measures, but seniors already experiencing tooth loss need a solution.

Discount dental plans are quick, easy alternatives to dental insurance and select plans offer discounts on specialty services such as dentures and dental implants. These plans are a great solution for seniors already in need of dental work, as most plans activate within just 3 business days. In contrast to many dental insurance plans, discount dental plans are available to all adults regardless of health restrictions. With some of these plans, members can save 20% on specialty procedures such as major extractions, bridges and dentures when they visit participating providers. Members receive a flat discount on many other procedures when they visit participating providers.

You want affordable dental coverage, but do not think you have the means to pay for dental plans for your family. Well, do not panic.

Dental plans offer discounts on several procedures that you or your family may need, including:

• Dental exams
• Routine Cleanings
• X-Rays
• Fillings
• Extractions
• Root Canals
• Dentures
• Crowns

The way these affordable plans work is by combining a network of dental care providers that agree to offer reduced rates on common procedures. You, the consumer, pay a yearly membership fee to guarantee these savings. Most dental plans will offer anywhere from 10-60% savings off the original costs. Discount dental plans will give you a fee schedule so that you are ensured to receive the promised discounts, and since you will know exactly what your price will be, should you need attention immediately - there are no financial surprises.

Now how can you get your hands on a plan that is right for you? The best bet is for you to go to a website that will instantly compare dental plans. Use the Internet to your advantage and you can surf until you find the plan that best fits your needs. There are many websites designed to help you find a dental care provider that is a part of a network in your area. On most sites, you will enter your zip code and it will help you narrow your search as your type in how many miles you are willing to travel to a provider. You will then be given a list of plans provided in your area. Once you click on a plan, the cost of that plan will be displayed and you can start to compare the costs of other plans. And just so you are fully prepared for the costs you may incur with that particular plan, there will be a list of any fees attached to services such as routine cleanings, fillings, etc. The benefit of this is that there will be no guesswork and you will be prepared for any out of pocket costs that may affect you.

With online resources available that exist to help you find affordable dental care, there is no reason why you and/or your family should not have some kind of dental plan. There are programs out there that will work for your specific needs and your wallet.