Is personal Dental insurance worthwhile?

[KEW]

I'm not sure I'm using the right term. By personal, I mean no company is supplementing the cost.
I don't have the best of teeth, maybe looking at a crown every two years.

Thanks!

 

[j_garcia]

I guess it will come down to cost. Is your two year premium about the cost of that crown? If so, maybe not, but it should get you free cleanings/check ups too. Their negotiated prices for the insurance company usually costs you less than paying it outright because the insurance company has more leverage, but if it costs more than the work you would normally do, then it is a tough sell.

 

[Chu Gai]

There are some very high quality dentists just south of the border. Modern offices and quite inexpensive. You should be able to find adequate reviews from Americans who have had services performed there.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

the thing is this: Any dental insurance is better than no insurance.
Because even if you exceeded max coverage (typically small - from 1k to 2k), you still get to pay only the negotiated rates, not a cash price - the difference could be massive sometime.

 

[TLS Guy]

the thing is this: Any dental insurance is better than no insurance.
Because even if you exceeded max coverage (typically small - from 1k to 2k), you still get to pay only the negotiated rates, not a cash price - the difference could be massive sometime.

I don't agree. If you can buy dental insurance or have it as a job perk it is a good deal. For individual policies you are more likely to loose.

It is better to just put the money aside. Remember there is a limit to how much money you can put into a mouth! It is not comparable to medical insurance at all.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

I don't agree. If you can buy dental insurance or have it as a job perk it is a good deal. For individual policies you are more likely to loose.

It is better to just put the money aside. Remember there is a limit to how much money you can put into a mouth! It is not comparable to medical insurance at all.

Lets agree on one thing - before giving generalized and sweeping advice - this is the case where reading Fine print is crucial, no matter how boring it seem to be.

 

[its phillip]

I just searched for dental plans. For people my age I'm seeing premiums of $150-200/yr with copays for crowns being something like $350~$500. I don't know how much a crown costs without insurance but I'm betting it would be significantly higher.

 

[Chu Gai]

Is that a soup to nuts price for a crown including x-rays, turning the tooth down, then adding the crown? Don't forget there are several different types of crowns one can get.

 

[its phillip]

I have no idea.

Here's a screenshot:

Here's a pdf file about the plan I was viewing:
https://www.ehealthinsurance.com/ehealthinsurance/benefits/dt/Humana/HI215_TX_0715.pdf

 

[Chu Gai]

Another possibility is seeing if there are any dental schools to have the procedure done. Prices are lower and the student operates under the supervision of a dentist.

 

[crossedover]

I'm not sure I'm using the right term. By personal, I mean no company is supplementing the cost.
I don't have the best of teeth, maybe looking at a crown every two years.

Thanks!

Dental insurance is a joke whether company or personal. Cleanings are nice, crowns get covered (60/40)but no preventative. ive been wearing a night guard for 26 years and they only cover a small portion. (have to get a new guard every three to four years) You would think that 100% of preventative would be covered. So if I dont wear it I grind my teeth to nothing, If i have a crown and dont wear it , I eat the crown. If you want dental, its cleanings, xrays, and 60% coverage on most other work. Better off using a supplement like care credit, id rather pay 2 points on the total than 40% of most work

 

[Bizarro_Stormy]

There are some very high quality dentists just south of the border... quite inexpensive.

Yep...
My sister's dentist does some really fine work for peanuts...

and bananas...

 

[Irvrobinson]

Their negotiated prices for the insurance company usually costs you less than paying it outright

I agree, and this is true for all medical insurance. For dental work I've seen an average discount of about 40%, plus two free cleanings per year and X-rays. Get a flexible spending account or, my preference, a healthcare savings account, and pay for your part with pre-tax dollars.

 

[KEW]

I agree, and this is true for all medical insurance. For dental work I've seen an average discount of about 40%, plus two free cleanings per year and X-rays. Get a flexible spending account or, my preference, a healthcare savings account, and pay for your part with pre-tax dollars.

The HSA's are the way to go for mainstream insurance, but as I understood it when I did the research (several years ago and forgotten), It made sense if you started in your 30's-40's, but not 50's. Plus my pituitary tumor guarantees an annual MRI brain scan that pretty much makes any health insurance policy a good deal (the rest of y'all help pay for it - and I do appreciate it, Thanks!). Does that sound right?

 

[Irvrobinson]

The HSA's are the way to go for mainstream insurance, but as I understood it when I did the research (several years ago and forgotten), It made sense if you started in your 30's-40's, but not 50's.

No, completely wrong. HSAs and high deductible plans may make sense at any age. It really depends on your effective tax rate (the higher your rate the more desirable it is using pre-tax dollars), whether or not you regularly require expensive care or drugs, how much you can tolerate the high deductibles in the event of a serious incident, and how much your benefits are employer subsidized. At my previous employer I had a high deductible plan for years. (With my current employer they made the cost for a PPO plan so low I couldn't resist.)

 

[herbu]

As with any true "insurance", it's a gamble that overall the house always wins. They know the statistics, and set their prices so they come out on top. However, if you're among those who really use it, it is clearly beneficial.

If the budget is tight and there are known and certain expenses that must take priority, take the chance and skip the insurance. But if you have money in the budget, it buys peace of mind that IF you need it, it's there.

I never had a single cavity... until I hit 40. Then the bottom fell out. Don't know why. I did, and do all the things you're supposed to do. Now our dental insurance saves us hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars every year. You pays your money and you takes your chances. BTW, some plans have a 1 year moratorium after your policy starts before they cover some of the major stuff.

If you do get it, find out what plan your dentist/periodontist use, and seriously consider that plan. You'll get more benefits and ease of use.

 

[Chu Gai]

So, Kurt, whatcha gonna do?

 

[KEW]

I'm gonna get insurance. I could not find it as inexpensive as its phillip or Bizarro Stormy's sister did, but at $25/month and with free preventive care, I figure it is close to breaking even on that. Basic care (cavities) is covered after 6 months, and Major care (crowns and Root Canals) after 12 months. The potential for reductions due to negotiated rates clenched it for me.

If I need a couple of crowns or more (or if I need major care this first year), I'll definitely use it as an opportunity to pay for a trip south.
If you happen to have done this and can link some sites, that would be nice. One of my concerns is if a major tooth issue comes up, I will not have the temperament (with tooth ache) to research travel options, but if I have a pre-established plan, that could work. I wonder if any of those south of the border plans include a private nurse!

 

[Chu Gai]

Most of these dental places are either just south of the border or in your usual tourist spots. If you want a private nurse I'm sure you can find one in Tijuana. I'll see what I can dig up for you. In the meantime, do some research onto what the full cost of a crown would be, start to finish. Then you can compare that cost to what an insurance plan or a trip to Mexico would run. Also, when researching insurance plans, also type into the search 'scam'. You want to hear about any issues or gotchas.

 

[KEW]

Most of these dental places are either just south of the border or in your usual tourist spots. If you want a private nurse I'm sure you can find one in Tijuana. I'll see what I can dig up for you. In the meantime, do some research onto what the full cost of a crown would be, start to finish. Then you can compare that cost to what an insurance plan or a trip to Mexico would run. Also, when researching insurance plans, also type into the search 'scam'. You want to hear about any issues or gotchas.

Around $1500 was the last Crown I got - total deal.