Toothaches and cuts from shaving hurt more than they should. A cut will heal in a few days, but a toothache will cost you a lot of money before it goes away. Believe me, dental care is too expensive for most people, but it is still an important part of health care that everyone needs.
Here comes dental insurance. Dental insurance used to be a big company perk, but now it's become a must-have perk for all companies. Even small companies offer dental insurance these days because it helps them hire and keep employees. Dental coverage costs less than 10% of the total cost of medical coverage, so it is affordable. Preventive procedures, like cleanings, make sure that employees are healthy overall, which means less sick days and more work.
There are many different types of dental insurance plans available today. You should be careful and give yourself enough time to think about each choice.
Most expensive plans:
Direct reimbursement plans
The most expensive plans are these ones. They work by using a pool of money set aside by the company for this purpose to pay for their employees' dental care.
This plan is the best because it is easy to understand. Co-payments, deductibles, etc. are not needed because the reimbursement is based on a simple formula. Even though the ADA really likes this plan, smaller companies may not be able to afford this kind of direct dental care.
Least expensive plans:
Planned health care
Like an HMO for health care, managed care dental plans require regular co-payments for treatment and let you choose from a pool of dentists. These plans have different ways to keep costs down, which can make them more affordable for small businesses.
The amount of the co-payment varies by procedure. Most preventive procedures are done without a co-payment, but co-payments will be higher for advanced procedures.
The choice is up to the company and its financial managers, but it is important to choose the plan with care.
