For many people, it is a profitable option since the vast majority of dental treatments are not covered by Social Security. The main advantage of dental insurance is the convenience of paying a fixed annual fee, although it is not always a cheap figure. Before deciding to take out insurance of this type, it is important to assess whether in a year we are going to spend that amount at the dentist.
Above all, it is important to know what each policy covers and if it includes several members of a family. In this article, we explain the pros and cons of having dental insurance and if it is the most convenient for you.
How do I know if I need dental insurance?
First of all, it is important to keep in mind that each insurer offers different types of policies.
Those that include a smaller number of treatments are usually the most basic, covering only procedures such as dental extractions, X-rays or prophylaxis. In fact, contracting this type of insurance is usually not worth it, since the annual cost exceeds that of the interventions themselves and it may not even be necessary for us to undergo them every year.
And it is that the question you should ask yourself if you are thinking of taking out insurance is if it is really going to compensate in the long term.
Depending on the company and the type of insurance policy, it is possible to access discounts or even certain dental treatments for free.
However, we must assess whether we really need these procedures.
For example, dental hygiene is recommend once a year.
If we maintain correct oral cleaning routines, taking care of our teeth and gums, it will not be necessary for us to go to the dentist more often.
Therefore, in this case, the patient is paying for treatments that he does not really need.
What if I am going to start treatments that last more than a year?
Dental insurance seems like an especially attractive option for families with children.
The smallest usually require more frequent visits to the dentist, especially if they are prone to dental caries.
Likewise, starting a treatment that will require monthly check-ups by the dentist, such as orthodontics, may be a reason to hire him.
However, analyzing in depth how dental insurance works, it is possible to conclude that it is not always the best choice.
Focusing on the example of a child who needs dental appliances, it seems logical to think that it is convenient for the same professional to examine him during the duration of the treatment.
Only the expert who has carefully planned his orthodontics will be able to follow his evolution and determine if, at the end, the desired result has been obtained.
Advantages and disadvantages of having dental insurance
One of the benefits of taking out insurance is the possibility of going to different medical centers.
The insured person not only has access to a wide medical directory of dentists, but it is also possible to choose between the company’s own clinics or others with which it has an agreement. This facility that seems like a huge advantage can become a lack of thoroughness in the professional’s work. Because they don’t know their patients in depth, procedures and interventions lack the personalization they need to be successful. In addition, these dentists attend all kinds of treatments.
Having general dentists would not be an inconvenience if we could all carry out all oral interventions with the same skill.
However, they perform treatments in different areas of dentistry, such as the placement of dental implants, reconstructions, veneers, endodontics, orthodontics.
On the other hand, it is possible that waiting times will be shortened and policyholders spend less time in line before entering the office.
But to achieve this savings in waiting, it is inevitable to cut the time a person spends in the chair.
That is why the work ends up being less detailed, since the number of patients seen prevails over quality.
