Here’s a subject that comes up from time to time: Is it necessary to have dental insurance? I spoke to a good number of people and this is what I found… the majority of individuals I talked to said they were not covered by dental insurance; they'd rather deal with problems as they arise instead of paying a monthly rate for coverage they may never need or use. The rest of the people said dental insurance is just that, insurance in case of an emergency, and they feel it's worth having for peace of mind.

But isn't there a third point of view? Shouldn’t we be using dental insurance as a preventive measure? Keeping up with your dental hygiene and visiting your dentist for checkups has been proven to keep your teeth and gums healthy. Isn't that reason enough to participate in a dental insurance plan? Insurance carriers typically pay a higher percentage to the dentist for cleanings and x-rays, with little or no out-of-pocket cost for the patient. By contrast, when problems are detected, insurance carriers usually pay only about 50-60% of the bill, and the patient is responsible for the balance. For some procedures, this can turn into quite a bit of money, so the percentage paid by insurance is not as helpful.

In summary, if dental hygiene is maintained throughout the year, most tooth and gum catastrophes can be avoided, proving that dental insurance is money spent wisely. Right?