When you’re suffering from a painful toothache or other dental emergency, the last thing you should be worrying about is your dental insurance. However, many patients show up with an urgent oral health problem unsure what their plan covers- and if they can afford to be treated. Here’s a closer look at how your policy could work in an emergency, and what you can do to protect your smile and your wallet from suffering a costly oral health crisis down the road!
How Does Dental Insurance Work?
Unlike other types of insurance, dental insurance works a little differently. Whereas medical insurance takes care of costly problems with the body when it arises, the prevention is the principle behind oral health coverage. Basically, your dental insurance provider would rather pay for you to visit the dentist twice a year for your six-month checkup and cleaning to prevent oral health emergencies, not more money later to treat them.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Emergencies?
Although dental insurance does place its emphasis on prevention, most plans do cover other things besides exams and cleanings. Often, they will pay for a portion of restorative treatments like fillings, extractions, and root canals, as well as what are known as major services, including dental crowns and bridges or dentures.
With dental emergencies, there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ rule. The amount your plan will cover depends on several factors, including if you have emergency coverage, the type of treatment you need, the severity of the issue, and of course whether the procedure itself is considered medically necessary.
Other Ways to Pay for Urgent Dental Care
Although your dental insurance plan may or may not have emergency coverage, there are still ways to save money on urgent oral health treatment from your dentist. Programs such as an in-house loyalty plan offer valuable discounts for patients without traditional insurance, while flexible financing plans can loan you the money for your care and split your balance into manageable low or no interest payments. Your dentist may even have special offers that could be applied towards your emergency visit.
An Ounce of Prevention
As mentioned before, the goal of dental insurance is to prevent painful and costly dental emergencies from ever occurring in the first place. To that end, be sure to brush your teeth twice a day, floss daily, and don’t skip those six-month checkups and cleaning appointments. These are your dentist’s opportunities to take a closer look at your smile and spot any developing problems. Then, if she does, she can treat it while it’s still a minor issue, so it never has a chance to become a dental emergency!
Remember, your dental insurance was designed to prevent urgent dental problems from happening in the first place, but some plans do have emergency coverage. To learn more about what is included in your individual policy, reach out to your benefits administrator, or contact the friendly insurance department at your dentist’s office for more information.
About Our Practice
At Goodlettsville Smiles, Dr. McClain and Dr. Patel are pleased to offer emergency dental services for patients experiencing an urgent oral health issue. In addition to accommodating same-day appointments, we are happily dental insurance friendly. We also welcome payment plans through Cherry, and we even have our own loyalty program for patients who don’t have traditional dental insurance but still want to save money while protecting their teeth and gums. For faster service scheduling an emergency appointment, call Goodlettsville Smiles directly at 615-819-1644.