Individual Indemnity Dental Insurance

Dental insurance is a type of health insurance designed to pay a portion of the costs associated with dental care. Read the following article to learn more about dental insurance.

Types of dental insurance

There are several different types of individual, family, or group dental insurance plans grouped into three primary categories: indemnity (which allows you to see any dentist you want who accepts insurance), preferred provider network (PPO) and dental health-managed organizations (DHMO). The latter makes assignments to an in-network dentist or in-network dental office and requires staying within that network to receive your dental benefits.

How dental insurance works

Generally dental offices have a fee schedule or a list of prices for the dental services or procedures they offer. When a dentist signs a contract with a dental insurance company that provider agrees to match the insurance fee schedule and gives his or her customers a reduced cost for services. Some dental insurance plans may have waiting period restrictions, a period of time before certain benefits are covered.

Some covered dental procedures

Dental insurance companies set services or procedures into categories and refer to them with American Dental Association (ADA) codes. Basic procedures often include fillings, periodontics, endodontics and oral surgery. Many dental insurance plans offer free semi-annual preventative treatment. Fillings, crowns, implants and dentures may have various time or financial limitations.

There are many different types of dental insurance. It is important to learn and understand some of the most important features of this kind of insurance.