Studies have suggested that there could be a connection between poor oral health and various heart-related issues. There is evidence that diabetics can benefit from regular periodontal treatment, according to some dental experts. And routine oral checkups have been known to help spot cancer in some patients.
Many people have a real fear of going to the dentist, and the rising costs of dental treatment doesn’t help alleviate that fear.
According to a 2022 report by the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, about 30 percent of adults in the United States do not currently have dental insurance. That is roughly 77 million people. Three times more adults lack dental insurance than health insurance. A higher percentage of people without dental insurance report declines in overall health compared to those who have it.
One man known to our practice, but not a client, skipped out on his dental visits during the pandemic out of fear of getting COVID-19. Months later, needing several teeth pulled, he developed a flesh-eating bacteria in his lungs that the infectious disease doctor said was a result of his infected teeth. After more than a week in the hospital, he was lucky to live. Dental plans are not really optional!
A good dental insurance plan can save you a considerable amount of money in the long run as well as preserving your health. One big reason for this is the fact that most plans are incentivized to help you take care of your mouth consistently.
It is common for a typical dental plan to cover 100 percent of the cost of preventive care. A customer can get two teeth cleanings and exams per year, which is what dentists recommend, at no out-of-pocket cost. The reasoning behind this is simple; the more effort you put into preventing dental problems, the less that you and the insurance company will have to shell out later to get them fixed. Pay a little now to keep from paying a lot later.
Many plans work on a 100-80-50 sliding scale of sorts based on preventive services, basic services and major services. After the basic treatments, intermediate care such as getting a tooth pulled might be 80 percent covered, meaning you only pay a fraction out of pocket. Larger issues like root canals and crowns might be split 50-50 between the insurance companyand your wallet.
How do you stay out of the major services? Take full advantage of the preventive. Getting your teeth cleaned twice a year keeps a lot of problems from happening. Dental problems eventually cause considerable pain, at which point you’ll pay whatever you have to pay to make that pain go away.
A little bit of planning can prevent that kind of trouble. BeneTrend Partners can familiarize you with a number of different companies that provide dental coverage. Let them help you select what best suits your family and your business. If your employer doesn’t offer Dental insurance, BeneTrend has several providers offering independent insurance plans to individuals and families.
Nearly every company that Benetrend Partners writes health insurance for also has us offer a dental insurance plan to their people. Most smart business owners know that their employees will have fewer days out of work if their dental health is kept up. Dental insurance can be a benefit provided by the company or offered as an option to employees. Either way, BeneTrend Partners definitely suggests that it be included in the insurance mix for optimal health. If we are writing a health package for your company, we will ask you about Dental. And you should say, “Yes.”
For more information about this offering, contact BeneTrend Partners or explore and enroll at Spirit Dental.
