Everything About Dental Insurance: Explained

As a business owner, you’re so focused on your company’s needs that you can forget to take care of some essential needs for you and your employees. Dental insurance is one of those things that is often overlooked but is so important.

In this blog post, we’ll talk about everything you need to know about dental insurance: what it is, how it works, the benefits of having coverage, eligibility requirements, and how to enroll. Keep reading here.

What Is Dental Insurance?

Dental insurance is a type of health insurance that helps pay for dental care. Like other types of health insurance, it’s a way to spread the cost of preventive care, routine care, and unexpected dental problems across a group of people.

Dental insurance is essential since it helps you pay for your dental care to maintain good oral health. It also protects you from the high cost of unexpected dental problems, such as cavities, tooth decay, and gum disease.

How Does Dental Insurance Work?

Dental insurance works by paying a monthly premium to an insurer in exchange for coverage of some or all dental care costs. You select a plan based on the dentists you want to be able to visit and what you can afford to pay.

Some important aspects to consider are:

• If you already have a preferred dentist and are covered by an insurance plan in their network, you’ll be able to choose one of the less costly plans.
• If you don’t have a dentist, no problem. You can choose from any of the dentists in the network and get a less expensive plan.
• You can still get insurance if your existing dentist is not in the network. However, you’ll pay significantly more to see an out-of-network provider—so much more that you may not have any chance of coming ahead by being insured.

The amount you pay each month for your premium will depend on the insurance company, where you live, and the plan you choose.

What Does Dental Insurance Cover?

Although dental insurance policies have many benefits, they differ per plan and insurance company. For more coverage information, check the corresponding documents for each plan you’re considering. That being said, most policies, in general, will cover the following

• X-rays.
• Cavity fillings.
• Tooth extractions.
• Crowns, bridges, and implants.
• Dental appliances (i.e., retainers).
• Root canals and other necessary repair work.
• Emergency dental procedures, such as oral surgery.
• Regular checkups and cleanings, usually twice a year.

Please note that certain dental equipment or services may be covered but at different levels of coverage. Typically, preventive care, such as cleanings, is covered in full, while other procedures, such as fillings or emergency oral surgery, may have higher out-of-pocket costs.

What Dental Insurance Doesn’t Cover

Although most dental plans cover basic dentistry and preventative work, certain treatments are not covered by all. Composite (tooth-colored) fillings are an excellent example of this. Typically, coverage will be limited to amalgam (silver) fillings, and policyholders will be responsible for the difference if they want composite fillings.

• Orthodontic treatments (braces).
• Cosmetic procedures, such as teeth whitening.
• Dental care related to a pre-existing medical condition.

Keep in mind that all dental insurance policies vary, so it’s recommended that policyholders review their coverage limits to learn what is and isn’t covered under their own policies.

Typical Costs Of Dental Coverage

There are some factors to consider when finding a policy that’s right for you and fits your budget:

Dental Insurance Premiums Vary

Dental insurance premiums range from around $20 to $60 a month, but this can differ significantly depending on your policy and even where you live.

Benefits May Be Covered At Different Coverage Levels

Did you know that usually, routine cleanings are covered under preventive care without any out-of-pocket costs? Furthermore, some plans may cover 80% of the costs for procedures such as fillings after the annual deductible is met. However, other policies only cover major procedures at 50%, meaning you would have to pay half the bill.

You’ll Pay The Full Cost For Uncovered Procedures

You will have to pay the entire cost out-of-pocket for procedures that aren’t covered. This is why it’s important to know what your policy covers before getting any work done. Typically, you can expect to pay $50-$200 for a filling, $1000-$3000 for a crown, and $3500+ for braces with no dental insurance.Dental Plans May Have Annual Coverage Maximums

If you go over your plan’s limit, then you will have to pay for any dental costs yourself. For example, let’s say your coverage limit is $2,000 annually. Once your insurance has paid $2,000 worth of benefits, you are responsible for the rest of the expenses until the end of that calendar year. This is why it’s important to have a plan with a high coverage limit if you require significant dental work.

Time Limit Restrictions May Apply

Dental plans typically have an annual or biannual limit on the number of times they will cover certain services, like fillings or X-rays. So if you need a lot of dental work done all at once, your benefits may not cover everything immediately. If it’s urgent that you get the procedures and you can’t wait for coverage, you’ll likely have to pay for them yourself.

Eligibility Requirements For Dental Insurance

To be eligible for dental insurance, policyholders must meet certain requirements, including:

• Being a U.S. citizen or legal resident.
• Not being eligible for Medicare or Medicaid.
• Being enrolled in a dental plan through their employer.
• Being employed (or having an offer of employment) with a company that offers dental insurance.

How To Enroll Dental Insurance

If you are interested in enrolling in dental insurance, the steps to follow are

• Choose the dental insurance plan that best suits your employees’ needs: There are many different types available, so make sure to choose the one that is right for your company.
• Contact the dental insurance company: Once you have chosen a plan, contact the dental insurance company to enroll.
• Get a dental insurance quote: After you have chosen a plan and contacted the company, you can get a dental insurance quote.
• Enroll in the dental insurance plan: Once you have received your quote, you can enroll in the dental insurance plan.

7 Reasons Why Employers Should Offer Dental Insurance Benefits

If you’re an employer, you may wonder if dental insurance is worth offering as a benefit to your employees. Here are 7 reasons why it is:

N°1 It Reduces Lost Work Hours

One of the most important reasons to offer dental insurance is that it can reduce lost work hours. Dental problems can cause a lot of pain and discomfort, leading to missed work days. You can help your employees stay healthy and productive by offering dental insurance

N°2 Control Costs

Offering dental insurance can help you control your healthcare costs. By paying for preventive care, you can avoid more costly dental problems in the future. This can save you money in the long run.

N°3 It Keeps Workers Healthy

Another reason to offer dental insurance is that it can keep your workers healthy. Good oral health is important for overall health, and by offering dental insurance, you can help your employees maintain good oral hygiene.

N°4 It Shows You Care

Dental insurance is a great way to show employees that you care about their health and well-being. It’s also a benefit that can help you attract and retain talented workers

N°5 Improves Employee Morale

Another benefit of dental insurance is that it can improve employee morale. When employees know their employer cares about their health and well-being, they are more likely to be happy and productive at work.

N°6 Helps With Recruitment

If you’re looking to attract top talent, offering dental insurance is a great way to do it. Many workers place a high value on dental benefits, so you can improve your chances of attracting and retaining the best employees by offering them.

N°7 It’s Tax-Deductible

One final reason to offer dental insurance is that it is tax-deductible. As an employer, you can deduct the cost of dental insurance premiums from your taxes. This can help offset the cost of offering this benefit to your employees.

Nesso Group Offers The Proper Dental Insurance Coverage For Yo

If you’re a business owner, entrepreneur, or president of a company in Connecticut, Nesso Group can help you get the dental insurance coverage you need for your employees. We’re the leading provider of health and benefits solutions in Connecticut. 

Nesso Benefits‘ transparent and proactive approach to benefits gives the control back to employers by managing the insurance’s costs and helping employees make healthier choices. The Nesso team embraces a customer-centric mindset, doing the heavy administrative lifting and working directly with employees to ease the burden on employers. 

We’re dedicated to helping businesses save money on their health and benefits costs. At Nesso Benefits, you’ll find a variety of plans from leading carriers, and we’ll work with you to find the best option for your needs. We aim to provide our clients with the highest level of customer service and helping people like you find the right dental care for your employees. Get in touch with us today.

GET YOUR DENTAL INSURANCE TODAY