Should dental insurance be part of your planning for oral health care?
Many of our patients here at our West Kelowna dentist office do have insurance plans that include coverage for dental care; and many, on the other hand, do not.
At Westside Dental in Kelowna & the Okanagan, we do not discriminate when it comes to patients who have dental insurance and those who have opted not to. We accept major forms of payment including credit cards, debit and cash. For patients with dental insurance, be it through work or through supplemental dental insurance plans, we can help submit your claim to the insurer directly, to help you receive reimbursement on a more timely manner.
The next questions deal with the theme of “should you have dental insurance?” While we cannot give a definitive yes or no here, there are certainly merits for having an insurance plan that covers dental in Kelowna.
Should You Obtain Dental Insurance?
Many Canadians, including residents of Kelowna and the Okanagan, have a dental insurance plan.
Some people choose to buy dental insurance on an ongoing basis on their own, while many others have dental plans as part of the insurance coverage provided in the benefits package from their employer.
Dental insurance provides you with coverage that can save you money and ensures better dental health. Oral or dental issues can be developed unexpectedly, even with proper daily care, so one way to prevent your wallet from suffering is to have a dental insurance plan.
Lower income patients or people with a disability may find that the province of BC can help them with dental expenses through assistance programs.
3 Reasons Why Dental Insurance Can Help
1. Potential Savings
The mouth is a window to one’s overall wellbeing.
Oral hygiene is directly linked to other parts of the body, so you want to visit your West Kelowna dentist regularly to ensure that you are at peak dental fitness.
Oral care is not cheap, of course, and this can make dental insurance convenient. Dental care coverage could mean two simple teeth-cleaning procedures per year, or it could be worth thousands of dollars of savings in oral surgery bills.
Our professionals will monitor your dental health in Kelowna and The Okanagan, running regular check-ups and cleaning your teeth when necessary. Most dental plans cover either all or a decent percentage of the cost of dental procedures.
2. Wellbeing
Dental insurance is designed to protect you in a worst-case scenario, so that you don’t have to choose between your wellbeing and financial stability.
Studies have proven that there is a synergetic relationship between dental health and overall wellness.
Gum disease, for example, is linked to a wide array of illnesses, including diabetes, respiratory disease, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis.
3. Peace of Mind
At the end of the day, dental insurance can help protect your smile.
Should anything happen to your teeth or gums, your dentistry plan would have your back.
Unexpectedly, you may find out that you need a root canal, a crown and a couple of fillings.
In addition, you may need to pay for consultations, cleanings and X-rays. Dental insurance coverage can be a godsend in these instances.
Beware of Waiting Periods with Dental Insurance
Thinking you can just hold out and purchase dental insurance when required? Sorry, dear reader, but your strategy probably won’t work.
We don’t recommend trying to outsmart insurance companies, who have established waiting periods for new members.
Generally, they won’t cover any major procedure, such as root canals or crowns, until you have been with them for a while. In the beginning, they will just approve simple dentistry jobs, like fillings or teeth clean-ups.
However, coverage and periods vary by policy. Read the fine print carefully.
Investing in Dental Insurance: Is It For You
Dental insurance policies can help people effectively budget for the cost of maintaining their smiles.
These plans are generally available as part of a medical insurance formula or as a stand-alone policy.
If you have dental insurance coverage through your employer, you’re good to go. If it’s an option as part of an array of insurance and benefits programs, dental insurance can, as we have discussed here, certainly pay off and help prevent unwanted expenses.
If you do not have the opportunity to receive dental insurance through your employer, your next option is to scan the variety of private, third-party dental insurance policies out there. Granted, the choices are certainly vast. And while it is not our place to recommend one over the other, we do advise that you study the plans and consider your options carefully.
Each patient, in our experience, has her or his own risk profile and level of comfort. Some people prefer to have full coverage for things like dental insurance, giving them peace of mind and enabling them to take the best care of their oral health without giving as much thought to the expense of it – since it’s already covered (or at least front-loaded).
Others are more comfortable with risk, and are willing to take the chance by paying for dental care on a case-by-case basis with cash. Just be sure, if this is you, that you are at least aware of what the costs could be should you go without coverage for dental insurance.
Looking Out for Your Kelowna Dental Care
At West Kelowna Dental Clinic, we want you to have the best dental care possible.
Ultimately, the decision whether to purchase or obtain dental insurance coverage is up to you.
We’re happy to answer questions about dental insurance or anything else related to dentistry. Don’t hesitate to be in touch – especially if it’s time (or past time) to book your next dental care appointment.