Pick a Dentist for the Right Reasons, Not Insurance Reasons
Right Reasons, Not Insurance Reasons
It’s that time of the year again, time for your dental insurance to renew. Depending on your place of employment, needed benefits and other personal factors, you may be faced with the choice of a new dental plan. A new dental plan doesn’t necessarily mean that you also have to find a new dentist!
When faced with the decision of choosing a dentist, there are some things that you should take into consideration:
- Choose a dentist that makes you feel comfortable
- Choose a dentist that you trust
- Choose a dentist that has experienced and educated
- Choose a dentist with a good reputation
- Choose a dentist that cares about you and your health, not just the number of patients coming through in one day.
It’s important to choose a dentist for the right reasons; after all, your oral health is imperative to your overall health. There are various reasons why a dentist may refuse to be in-network with dental insurance carriers, and in some cases, it may even be in your best interest.
For example:
- The average calendar year maximum NOW is the same as it was 40 years ago. This puts pressure on dentists to cut costs or increase their number of patients to cover the cost of equipment, instruments and supplies that the calendar maximum does not cover.
- Dental insurance may result in you not receiving exactly what you want or the dentist losing money on a procedure. For example, most insurance lowers the benefit for “white” fillings in the back of the mouth, so dentists are more likely to place amalgam “black metal” fillings to get the full benefit.
- Dental insurance companies often determine what is and is not necessary for patients. For example, most dental insurances will not pay for porcelain crowns for back teeth even if the patient wants them.
While many insurance carriers will tell you that your benefits will be less at a “non-participating dentist,” that is not always the case. The next time you are faced with a plan decision, or a dentist decision, base your decision on the right reasons – not insurance reasons. If you have any questions about your insurance or would like help picking a dental plan, give us a call, and we would be more than happy to help!
