Do You Need Dental Insurance?

Americans have a tendency to avoid the dentist. More than 40% of Americans said they don't see a dentist as often as they would like, according to a 2018 survey by the American Dental Association. Their number one reason for skipping visits is cost, even among those with dental insurance. Dental insurance policies can be confusing and difficult to use, making some Americans wonder whether dental insurance is worth investing in at all. Watch the video to find out to learn what it actually costs to go to the dentist, whether dental insurance is worth investing in and what patients and policymakers can do about it.

Chapters
0:00 - Introduction
1:42 - How dental insurance works
4:15 - Dental care costs
6:17 - Is dental insurance worth it?
9:49 - Solutions

Americans have a tendency to avoid the dentist. More than 40% of Americans said they don’t see a dentist as often as they would like, according to a 2018 survey by the American Dental Association.

People have lots of reasons for not going, including fear, inconvenience and trouble finding a dentist who take their insurance.

But the top reason Americans cite for avoiding the dentist is cost, with nearly 60% of Americans saying cost was the main reason they haven’t visited the dentist in the past 12 months. Cost remained the number one reason regardless of age, income level or type of insurance.

Dental insurance can be confusing since it’s considered a separate service from medical insurance, which means it has different policies and procedures that many patients are not familiar with.

From a lack of transparency about benefits to rules like annual maximums — which means plans stop paying for treatment after hitting a certain amount for the year — some patients question whether dental insurance is worth investing in at all.

“There’s this misnomer that you need dental insurance to go to the dentist, you really don’t,” said Dr. Mark Vitale, a general dentist and owner of Edison Dental Arts in Edison, New Jersey. “Dental insurance is not the panacea that most people think it is.”

But the industry landscape is shifting as more traditional health insurance companies are supplementing their medical plans with dental benefits.

“Dental insurance is extremely profitable to the insurance companies, which is why many of the insured many of the major carriers offer dental insurance,” Vitale said.

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Why Dental Care Costs So Much In The U.S.

[msceicily]

This may sound ignorant, but why do we have separate insurance for our mouths and eyes? Aren’t they apart of the body? Why is it not just general medical insurance?

[NightInBh]

"People are unaware how to access the access."
This is why young people hate this entire system. Why is it this hard? Why do taxes have to be so hard? Why is this entire system a giant clusterfuck that we have to go completely out of our way to receive even basic human care. I take care of myself but it is not easy with all these procedural oddities.

[Sulfen]

I gave up on dental/eye insurance plans a long time ago. They are only worth it if your employer pays most of the premiums and they offer you a really good plan otherwise it's worthless. I'm self employed now and when I tried to get my own dental plan it was crazy how it cost $60 a month for something that only covered maximum $1000-$2000 a year and then it won't cover anything until the next year. And it had waiting periods for some things and then deductibles for every procedure. I cancelled my plan and started putting $120 into a stock fund every month and when I needed a dental checkup or procedure I pulled from it. The fund has been going on for 8 years now and it has $12, 000 in it. In 10-15 more years the dividends will be paying for my dental checkups and it will become part of my retirement plan. These companies are screwing most of you.

[lancep]

I love how everyone at work tells me how good our dental is and I still have to pay $5-$600 per visit after the insurance ‘pays’. And then the insurance can change their mind and not pay anything.
American healthcare is completely broken, and if you say it’s not it means you haven’t been bankrupted yet

[Thomas]

So in the UK, dentists have price lists available. In Holland, they do it too (and have government pricing caps). Why don't American dentists just publish their pricing?!

[kennixox]

I have my teeth cleaned every three months. But for the most part it seems that in the United States the medical system is about disease management and profits rather than keeping their patients healthy and to minimize diseases.

[syedbilalnafees]

Because its the US. where heath care companies treat you as customers, not patients

[SK-ltso]

Many of the skyscrapers in big US cities are built by insurance companies with your premiums that were never returned.

[ehj]

One sentence basically summarized why not only dental insurance but the entire medical system is so messed up: insurance company can still be profitable.

[paulgrieger]

As a truck driver, I have seen a LOT of bad teeth. Important fact: lack of good oral health causes major illness; heart disease, for one. You don't need to believe me - look it up.

[driley]

I need dental care more than I need basic healthcare. Every dental insurance plan I've ever had has been a waste because it still doesn't make even basic dental care affordable. Call me a sucker for continuing to buy dental insurance. Wishful thinking, I guess. 🙄🤦‍♂️

[joshuajeon]

Summary: insurance system in US is very greedy, all for profit, old, slow, and needs an overhaul.
- personally coming out of dental school with 400k debt I’d be extremely tempted to charge as much as i can.
*Cost of dental school rose by ave 200k since 1996

[reysustaita]

I couldn’t afford dental work for over a decade. I am now in the middle of the process in completing my root canal and I am so glad I have dental insurance now. While it’s still hundreds of dollars, it will help even someone like me even though I am still considered low income.

[michelbruns]

another episode of "be thankful for not living in the united states"

[tinymints]

The idea that any form of healthcare, treatment, etc isn't required is pretty messed up. Health insurance companies are spreading dehumanizing rhetoric.

[Immortal-Daiki]

Well anything health-related really is expensive in the US. Ambulances, prescription glasses, insurance, surgery, childbirth (like omg I heard you guys even pay to hold your baby!)

[Riveloperinc]

We opted to give up dental insurance so our boss could buy a yacht. 😒

[SaqibSheikh]

Free dental and universal healthcare needed

[CryptoBlockchainTechnologies]

I’ve started taking better care of my teeth this past year. Make sure you floss, brush your teeth & use mouth wash.

[dain]

Trust with dentists can be hard to come by. The last time I went to one I took xrays and got a cleaning and the dentist came up with a $9k laundry list of fixes that I needed when I only wanted a filling replaced. I consulted with a friend in Brazil whos sister is a dentist. Prior to the pandemic Brazil had the #3 dental standard in the world after the USA and china. After forwarding xtrays and images of my mouth to the Brazilian dentist she said I had been severely overprescribed and I maybe needed 1/3 of the work I was told. The cost of flying to Brazil to do the dental work out of pocket would be less than the cost of getting it done in the USA with many insurance plans.