I need dental insurance that covers everything

Dental insurance plans offer a variety of different coverage types. Full coverage dental insurance helps to cover routine visits, the basics, and more invasive treatments as well. There is a high demand for dental insurance plans that cover implants. Some of the most sought out treatments are implants and dentures. The term “full coverage dental insurance” refers to the plan’s ability to cover a variety of different dental treatments and procedures. Even so, it does not mean that all treatments and procedures are fully covered every time.

Unfortunately, some 74 million Americans do not have dental insurance coverage. According to the American Dental Association, the majority of dental-related emergencies can be directed to a dental office. Having a plan in place can protect your teeth and your wallet from unforeseen costs that can arise without regular dental hygiene maintenance. If you are prone to dental issues, full coverage dental insurance may be the right choice for you.

It is important to understand that full coverage dental insurance does not guarantee that you’ll be covered for everything. However, it will provide additional financial support for preventative services and major procedures that can save you money in the long run. Chat with an Aflac agent to see if you can get dental insurance that covers dentures and implants with no waiting period.

Aflac may be a great choice for you if you are looking for a company that provides dental insurance with periodontal coverage, preventative care, and other treatments. There are many benefits that come with your dental plan if you choose Aflac:

• Preventative and Diagnostic Care: Two routine exams and teeth cleanings are covered every year. A variety of x-rays such as full-mouth and bitewing are also covered every 1-3 years, depending on your unique needs. Fluoride treatments and space maintainers are also available.
• Basic Services: Aflac provides coverage for basic services such as fillings, emergency palliative care, and simple surgical extractions. Dental caps are usually covered by our plans. We also provide dental insurance for dentures, including their repair. Dental crowns and bridges can be restored as well.
• Major Services: Aflac provides dental insurance that covers implants. We also help cover periodontics, endodontics, oral surgery, dentures, and anesthesia. This is a great option if you are looking for dental insurance that helps cover permanent dentures.
• No Waiting Period: Some of our preventative and basic services, like dental insurance for fillings, can be accessed without a waiting period (subject to limitations and exclusions). We recommend you speak with an agent to see how Aflac can work with your specific needs.
• If you choose Orthodontic Benefits, braces can be covered under our dental insurance.

Dental Insurance that Covers Implants and Dentures

Dental implants come in handy when you have a missing tooth or a severely cracked tooth. Implants have very high success rates and may last a lifetime. Having dental insurance that covers implants can be very useful if you have difficult chewing your food or have any pain associated with dentures.

On the other hand, dentures come in handy when your teeth feel loose, and you can visibly see them shifting. If you have consistent tooth aches and sensitive gums, it is crucial you choose a dental insurance that helps cover dentures.

Not all dental insurance covers implants and dentures, so we advise you to take a close look at the options you are considering.

If you’re looking for the holy grail of dental insurance, as in a dental policy that will pay for virtually any and all of your dental work, we have some news for you both good and bad. The bad news is that dental insurance that covers everything doesn’t exist. Sorry. The good news is that there is a dental insurance option that’s close to it. Yay. We’ll talk about the dental insurance that comes close to covering everything, as well as some other popular dental coverage options so that you can see how it compares.

What is fee-for-service dental insurance?

Fee-for-service dental plans, also known as indemnity dental plans or traditional dental plans give you freedom to see any licensed dentist that you want without any financial penalty.You can see who you want and still be covered. This is an appealing option if you want to stay with your current dentist, if you relocate or move frequently or if your other dental coverage options don’t have conveniently located in-network dentists.

How does fee-for-service dental insurance work?

This freedom of choice comes at a higher price. Fee-for-service dental insurance has higher monthly premiums than any other type of dental coverage. But just like a dental PPO, fee-for-service dental insurance also has a waiting period, deductible, annual maximum and coinsurance, although there are some differences.

For example, your deductible on a dental PPO might be $50 but on a fee-for-service dental plan it might be $100. This is the amount you must pay out-of-pocket during a specific benefit period before your plan’s benefits kick in. Your annual maximum on a dental PPO might be $1,000 or $1,500 but on a fee-for-service dental plan, it might be as high as $2,500 or $3,500. This is the total amount that your dental plan will pay during a specific benefit period.

Let’s say you’ve satisfied the waiting period, met your deductible and need to have a tooth filled. Most fee-for-service dental plans offer 100-80-50 coverage. This means they cover preventative and diagnostic dental care at 100%, basic dental care at 80% and major dental care at 50%. Under a fee-for-service plan, you would expect that a filling, which is a basic dental procedure, to be covered at 80%. However, this is where it can get tricky.

If your dental insurance provider says the customary fee for a filling is $100 but your dentist charges $150, your dental insurance provider is still only going to pay 80% of the $100 or $80. This means you are responsible for paying the $70 difference.

This is because, under a fee-for-service dental plan, dentists are not contracted with the dental insurance company. The dentist is allowed to set their own fees.

If you had a dental PPO, using the scenario above your dental insurance company would pay $80 and you would pay $20. The remainder is written off as a loss. Evelyn Ireland, executive director of the National Association of Dental Plans, says, “That’s the advantage of any plan with a network — there’s a negotiated discount. You’re paying based on the discounted rate. The doctor can’t bill you for the difference.”

Unless other arrangements have been made, under a fee-for-service plan you are required to pay the full amount at the time of service. Your dental insurance provider will reimburse you for its portion.

How does fee-for-service dental insurance compare?

Now that you have an understanding of how fee-for-service dental insurance works, let’s take a quick look at how it stacks up to two other popular dental coverage options.

Dental HMO

• Lower monthly premium than a dental PPOand fee-for-service dental plan
• Requires you to elect a primary care dentist (you can only see an in-network dentist)
• Must be referred by your primary care dentist before seeing a specialist
• No waiting period
• No deductible
• No annual maximum
• Pay a negotiated fixed flat rate for dental procedures known as copay

What’s a dental PPO?

• Higher monthly premium than a dental HMO but lower than a fee-for-service dental plan
• Freedom to visit an in-network or out-of-network dentist
• No referral required to see a specialist
• Has a waiting period
• Has a deductible
• Has an annual maximum
• 100-80-50 coinsurance kicks in once deductible is met

What is a dental savings plan?

There’s one last option that’s not dental insurance at all. A Cigna dental savings plan is a membership that gives you access to a network of more than 100,000 dental professionals nationwide. Once you’re a member, you can enjoy discounts between 10% and 60% off the cost of most dental procedures — including those that traditional dental insurance doesn’t cover.

Here’s how it stacks up:

• Annual membership fees starts at around $100
• Freedom to visit any dentist in-network
• No referral required to see a specialist
• No waiting period
• No deductible
• No annual maximum
• Pay out-of-pocket for dental work done

Keep in mind that a dental savings plan can be used to supplement your dental care costs, even if you have dental insurance. Talk to your dentist and/or insurance provider about how you can best use a Cigna dental savings plan in conjunction with insurance.

Choosing the best dental care

There’s a lot of overlap between some of the dental coverage options we discussed. Choosing the best dental care plan really comes down to what makes the most sense for you from a health and financial perspective. As long as you’re getting the oral care you need to maintain a healthy smile, you can’t go wrong.

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