A Dentist's Perspective On Dental Insurance

I'm a dentist that has been in private practice since 1995 and I will share with you the history, the different types of plans and my opinions on dental insurance. I will address the common question "Does my dental insurance cover this?". I can also help patients understand the limitations of dental insurance and how to find the best plan for your needs. My opinion is the best dental insurance plan( if your employer is paying the premium as a employee benefit) is an OUT of Network plan. This allows you to see the doctor of your choice and you can choose the care you will receive.

Share this video with others so they can learn more about dental insurance and know what to look for when choosing a dental insurance plan . #michelerchartierdds #dentist #dentistry #dentalinsurance #PPO #DMO #feeforservice #myopinion

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[sustainablelifest]

why dental isn't under the umbrella of health insurance is mindboggling. Same for vision and hearing. It's like requiring separate auto policy for your tires, steering wheel and head lights. if you are lower income, you are SOL when it comes to dental.

[markdaniels]

I have dental insurance as a federal employee. My dental insurance has no upper limit. However things like crowns, bridges and implants are still very expensive even when the insurance pays 40-50 percent.

[mtaur]

11:50: That pretty much clarified my dental insurance situation: Trying to get my money's worth out the the premiums. May as well pay the doctor out of pocket using, hopefully, a good payment plan option with his/her office. Thanks for posting, Smile_Doc.

[wildlesbians]

I am not a fan of dental insurance. It covers very little, if anything, The small amount that is covered, you have to fight and argue to get them to actually pay up. My dentist has 3 or 4 employees that spend most of their time on the phone arguing with insurance companies, and customers to get paid. I pay cash, and can often negotiate some sort of discount directly, by pointing out the dentist does not need to argue with me, or an insurance company to get paid. Work gets done, dentist gets paid. Simple. No hassles. And I need lots of work done over time.

[Imsaved]

So in layman’s terms I’m really screwed.

[lucretiafrederich]

Just because a dentist is in network does not mean they are corporate. There are many dentists in private practice that are in network. The dream is to be FFS. A new dentist starting from scratch almost has to be in network. To be called “corporate” is insulting.

[dwtubeyou]

I have identified some plans that max out at $5000 per year, after first two years with a lower cap. But it seems most plans cap fillings for posterior teeth at the amalgam fees, and patients must pay the difference for resin fillings. That seems shady unless you think that amalgam is just as good in all cases for posterior teeth.

[buzzinbee]

Well the realitt is that dentist treatments are very expensive and takes alot of money. While you may tell people what they need in spite of insurance ...people won't get it done. Thank you for the information.

[FuzzyDogFosterMom]

Right now we have dental insurance through MetLife and it is fantastic. My husband is retiring soon and we will be buying a dental insurance policy. We will hopefully also be able to get care for more expensive dental care at a very close dental school. They have 3 levels of cost based on if a student does the work or a dentist already practicing. Of course the students are overseen by professionals ;)
Thank you for explaining insurance in more detail.

[marilynpolzin]

Thank you, very informative. Have had some crowns done and wanted to look into insurance plans. You answered my questions. Appreciate you taking the time to explain dental insurance

[ddsbyday]

This video is 3 yrs old. I would like to see if your opinion has changed given the nation wide shortage of dental auxiliary and overhead costs today. Insurance premiums have continued to rise as well as reimbursement restrictions. I personally would estimate overhead at 90% and on the rise. A new dental model needs to be developed. More videos like this to educate patients would help.

[johnnyr]

All Very Helpful Info. Thank You. 👍 and Subscribed

[Stefano]

Good video! What you are saying is consistent with what I have encountered over the years.

[GenX_US_Marine]

I don't like insurance. It's just a hassle most of the time. I go to the dentist getting a filling etc...they tell me how much and I get a pretty nice discount for paying upfront with no insurance.

[sweetpea]

Or and hear me out on this, Dentists and the whole field of dentistry could just stop robbing people and have a little more compassion.

[TonyJordan]

So basically Dental insurance is balked at by dentists because the dentists normal fee vs what the insurance will allow them to bill for that procedure is usually 30- 50% less.

[edgarsenpai]

I noticed that I have gum recession and my teeth are getting sensitive. I havent been to a dentist in 6 years and I am 24 years old. Do you recomend any good dental plan i should get???

[songman]

Another issue with Dental Insurance is that a high majority of Dentists are not in Network with any Dental Insurance company. Many of them though will treat you out of network. However when doing that they don't have to agree to the fees the Dental Insurance Company pays for those procedures. That being the case they balance bill the customer the difference. So the best way to benefit from a Dental Insurance plan is to stay in network. Dental Savings plan are a great alternative to traditional insurance. However with those you absolutely must go to a Dentist that agrees to take those plans, no out of network on them at all.

[jdg]

I work for the state of CA which offers several different dental plans. I went with a PPO type plan. Doesn’t cover much other than the basic preventative stuff. My issue is not financial, I can pay for what I need. My issue has been all the scumbag dentists I’ve encountered along the way to my current dentist, who is outstanding. I form this conclusion by all the useless medical procedures and products I’ve been recommended over the years by previous dentists that my current dentist, under his medical opinion, says I don’t need and never did. The whole industry needs to be re hauled and re regulated.

[deanholstein]

When it comes to the "Dental Clubs" what happens when the Dentist closes shop?