Individual Dental Insurance

There use to be a time when having affordable individual dental insurance was only possible thru employer sponsored dental group programs. If you wanted to purchase it on your own, you were facing higher premiums, as well as deductbiles, co-payments and other out-of-pocket expenses. For the most part, dental insurance was seen as a perk, not a necessity.

Today, largely due to scientific studies, we have learned that there are siginficant links between oral health and our general health. No longer is the mouth being looked at a separate entity of the body. In recent years, we have seen a rise in the number of oral decay and other diseases of the mouth. In response, there has been a movement to make dental treatments more affordable to the general population. This has led to the establishment of the dental plan network.

Dental plan networks were designed to lessen the problem of affordability of dental care. Within these networks are many different plans designed for individuals, families and groups regardless of socioeconomic status. Here you will find individual insurance plans, as well as plans for seniors, the self-employed, the underemployed, students and all others who simply want to be able to afford to go to the dentist.

With a dental plan, there is no limitation on how often you can be seen and you pay for treatment at a discounted rate. There is also no limit on the procedure you may need. If you want implants, there are discounted plans designed for cosmetic dentistry discounts. If you need braces, there are plans for this as well.

In fact, many plans include additional coverage benefits for no additional cost. You can get alternative medicine, physical therapy, medical equipment, diabetic supplies, oral care products, chiropractic treatments or health club discounts as a plan member.

Because of dental networks, there are a lot more choices when it comes to finding affordable individual dental insurance plans. Below is a summary of some of the benefits offered by various dental plans and the annual rate for individual dental insurance.

¹As of June 2012.