Dental Insurance
There’s nothing better to show at an interview or at a meeting or presentation than a pleasant face matched with a sparkling smile.
Of course, the sparkling white teeth might not always be the case. Hygiene or health problems, lack of proper dental check-ups or care, all these make the sparkling smile… less sparkling.
When people hear the word “insurance”, the first thing they think about is “something that might pay you if something happens”. In fact, that is far from the truth, and no insurance proves this any better than dental insurance (we’ll refer to it as “dental plan(s)” from now on).
A recommended practice is visiting a dentist at least once a year.
A normal person will have an average of ten cavity fillings, one root canal operation, one infection removal, twenty regular check-ups, seven x-rays, and one forking within a ten year period, and the numbers, under the provision that people wish to avoid dental pain and a lot of hassle, will increase with time.
Consider the above, and then think of other non-periodical dental work that might or might not occur to you, such as a broken tooth, braces, bridging, and so on. All these add a lot of extra cost to the overall dental expenses.
Consider, therefore, dental plans as a convenience for you and your family, by not having to pay from your own pocket. But how to get the most inexpensive and convenient dental plan for you and, if possible, your family as well? Just follow a few very easy steps:
Consult the dental plan and check the coverage. It would be best if it covered most of any possible dental work. Do not ignore the possibility of corrective or reparative surgery if you live or work in a hazardous environment, or if you are simply an accident-prone person due to the nature of your work or hobbies.
Check whether your family will be covered as well. Most dental plans nowadays come with family coverage. There is no sense in paying multiple insurance policies if you can get only one to cover for all.
Many companies nowadays have policies that also include a dental plan – a cheap investment for the company, but a welcomed benefit for the employee. Negotiate a little with your employer and, with the corresponding reduction of income benefit, you might get a very good plan for you and your family at slightly cheaper rates than if you went and purchased it yourself.
It is no secret that many contracts signed individually will be more expensive than a larger-coverage, but single, contract. In the case described above, when you are employed, it might be a good idea to talk to some of your colleagues and see what can be done. Your boss should be thrilled because of the reduction of income benefit taxes and happier employees.
Check your current policies for already-existing dental plans. You never know, you just might come up with a dental plan that you missed when you signed that general health insurance contract. It is common practice for insurance companies to offer dental plans as supplemental dental insurance with higher-value health insurance contracts. Should you find such a thing, give your agent a call and see whether you can negotiate it down or, why not, even extend it to your family.
Use the internet in case you don’t want or don’t like the sound of an insurance agent’s voice on the other end of the phone. With the advent of online businesses, who knows, you might get better rates at less hassle. Do keep in mind, though, that a contract must be signed, so a face-to-face meeting is unavoidable.
As you see, a dental plan doesn’t have to be that much of a hassle. It’s easy to obtain, it gives a lot of benefits and the rates are almost dirt cheap. Most of the time, you won’t even have to worry about it, as your employer will. Many good reasons to have dental plans.