<p>Hi,</p>
<p>Like many people, we are re-evaluating our insurances. I am unhappy with our current dental insurance (First Dental) mainly because the dentists on the plan do not seem of the highest quality - probably because they are paid very little. </p>
<p>Does anyone have a plan they like? </p>
<p>Any horror stories?</p>
<p>Every individual dental plan I have seen has been almost worthless. First, as you mentioned, the dentists on the plan are not ones I would go to and, second, all these plans are usually capped at $1,000 a year.</p>
<p>We have Delta Dental. It’s only worth it if you need actual work like crowns because the cost for a year versus the cost of preventative care is at most a wash. I know that’s the point of insurance but people tend to know whether they might need a crown or not versus getting sick. With insurance a crown is about $500 versus about $1800 here … and the dentist’s pay gets marked down by the insurer so the total cost is about $1350. The savings on a crown is about the same as the cost of the insurance for a year.</p>
<p>Note that we’re paying a group rate but we pay $100% of the cost.</p>
<p>I had Delta Dental last year, my employer switched to Fl Blue Cross this year. I agree with Lergnom–the dental insurance helps some if you need major dental work–you’re still on hook for much of the dental fees.</p>
<p>What I don’t like with the dental insurance is that the dentist seems to view it as a bag of candy, or as a punch list, for him to use to try to soak me with all sorts of extra dental work to help line his pockets.</p>
<p>I am losing my dental in January when my ex-H retires. I could extend it via a COBRA-like arrangement, but my dentist advised me not to. She says she sees no evidence I have any major work on the horizon (to be fair I never have work, have only had a couple of cavities ever). Even though my old fillings will eventually have to be replaced, she said it probably isn’t worth carrying the insurance for it. So I plan to just drop it… YMMV, of course!</p>
<p>Our federal retiree BCBS plan includes some dental. It paid 50-70% of wisdom teeth extractions for our kids, fillings, extractions and crowns, as well as portions of cleanings, exams and X-rays. We are happy we don’t pay extra for thus, its part of our regular medical insurance plan. No coverage for orthodontics. </p>
<p>Also didn’t purchase vision coverage, but we get some coverage for eye exams but nothing for glasses or contacts.</p>
<p>We have met life federal dental insurance. For four people we pay 0 for regular cleanings, but it’s about a wash financially. They covered 3K of oath, and if we need anything extra, like wisdom teeth removal, we make out. Once kids aren’t on plan it may nit be worth it, but for now we like having it.</p>
<p>Does anyone have a plan which covers dental implants?</p>
<p>Sent from my DROIDX using CC</p>
<p>^^Or, one that covers wisdom teeth extractions? That is an expensive procedure out of pocket. :(</p>
<p>^^^^
Our MEDICAL covered most of the costs for both our kids wisdom teeth removal.
Then Deltal Dental picked up some remaining.</p>
<p>My teeth seem to be eroding at an alarming rate and I can count on one or two crowns each year. I doubt my longtime dentist is sucking me into unneeded work.
Delta dental costs me about $360 per year for 3 in our family.
“Free” routine cleanings, pays about 50% of any work.</p>
<p>^ We have delta dental and our oldest had his wisdom teeth removed this summer.It covered part of the cost but not all. It also pays part of the cost of braces middle one just got his off and the younger one needs to get them. With 3 kids it’s definitely worth the cost. Not so sure if it was just my husband and me though.</p>
<p>Met life covered much of wisdom teeth removal.</p>
<p>Delta Dental has been very good for me. My teeth are awful, and I have too many root canals and crowns to count. Luckily, I have not had a dental crisis in many years. My insurance is used by planning a project per year, and getting the work done in December. So the money is available for an emergency, and if not needed, I get a crown done. The money is set aside in my TSA plan for my co pay. No, it is not make work. With a mouth full of 30 to 40 year old fillings, there is always another crown needed. </p>
<p>The problem, as pointed out by my dentist, is that crown prices go up all the time, and the insurance plans have the same old max per year. So the insurance is worth less and less.</p>
<p>I recently was performing the math as it was again open enrollment. Our vision insurance is very cheap…but dental keeps increasing. H, D and myself rarely have cavities and the insurance costs more than 2x/yr cleanings. The other thing I constantly wonder about…when we were little no one had dental insurance and everyone went to the dentist once per year. Dental insurance becomes standard, flouridated water becomes standard, cavities decrease and now we all need to see the dentist twice a year???</p>
<p>I ended up signing us up again, mainly because I do have a young adult son who has very weak enamel and always has some dental problem. Once he’s off the plan I think we’ll leave too.</p>
<p>We also expect to keep our expensive teeth for a lifetime, rather than getting dentures. It is an interesting point. Some need those frequent cleanings for gum health, and to check for cavities. Others, not so much. </p>
<p>I knew someone who was paying COBRA on the dental plan for her adult S. Far too much money!!!</p>
<p>We have anthem and Cigna. I have Anthem as a retired teacher, and my husband has Cigna from his work. They each have their pluses and minuses, anthem has better coverage for things like crowns and root canals. Cigna has periodontal coverage which I need. Both pay for routine cleanings and checkups, and basic dental maintenance (fillings, for example). </p>
<p>Both of our kids had wisdom teeth extracted, and Anthem medical covered all but the anesthetic. Really! Do they think you can get four wisdom teeth pulled without anesthetic?</p>
<p>^ lol. that’s the part that dental dental didn’t cover for my DS when he had his out this summer. I don’t think any oral surgeon would extract them without it.</p>