Dental Insurance

[DwarfMaster]

I'm trying to decide if our Dental Insurance is really worth it?

I've paid $800 this year for family coverage. (Me & 2 kids)
We each have a $50 deductible.
It covers cleanings 100% and anything else 80%.

DS had his 2 cleanings this year & DD had 1. As horrible as it is ~ I didn't have any. I know I need thousands of $$$ of work & honestly can't even afford the 20% co-pay.

Our local dentist only ever charged us cash rate $55 for a cleaning & exam. It's costing me more now that we have the insurance & have to use another dentist.

I just can't see any sense in paying all this $$$ for insurance we don't use. It's Open Enrollment season & I'm contemplating canceling it.

Anyone else in the same boat?

 

[ca859093]

I was in the same boat in November and chose to cancel our dental insurance. We actually will pay out less, because we have our cleanings and none of us have had any problems(knock on wood) but if we do run into an expense our dentist takes payments. It worked out best for us.
Also I figure if I have insurance it only gives me a 20% discount on things other then cleanings, so if I have a problem coming up with the the orignial amount I will have a problem coming up with the discount amount because 20% is not that much. So going to a dentist that takes payments is great.
Look at your families dental needs and what it would probably cost you and decide from there if it is best to drop it.
Good Luck

 

[eeyoreiscool]

We kept ours because we have a great plan. I think I pay around 260/year and it would cost me minimum of 80 per visit to the dentist. So with the wife and I making 2 trips a year it pays for itself easily. I would have to reconsider if it didn't pay for itself though.

 

[mickeyfan2]

When my dentist told me that ADA recommend not getting this insurance I stopped ours.

 

[barkley]

dd fell off her bike and chipped her permanant front tooth-without dental insurance it would have run over $1200 for the repairs. dh's wisdom teeth did not decide to make themselves known until his early 20's-several thousand for "oral surgery". ds despite good brushing habits has had to have 2 fillings in recent months (more than a few hundred dollars).

dentists reccommend twice a year checkup/cleanings for basic oral health-so figure out what that would cost, ask your preferred dentist what a filling, extraction, crown would run (on a cash basis w/o insurance and see what interest they charge if they will let you make payments-the majority in our area will not) and decide if you could pay those items in full at the time needed.

 

[4nana]

You are so very fortunate you have not had any problems. If I had to pay those fees I might give it a second thought also. Before DH retired we had exellent dental coverage for appx $30 mo. Once retired, luckily you keep your health ins., but no dental. Our dentist chgs $150. each 6 mo. ck up, 2xr and cleaning!! Within a yr DH needed 2 root canals...ching, ching, ching, to the tune of $3000 w/crowns...can you say ouch!?!? I did an internet search and came up with DentalPlans.com. It is not insurance so to speak, but a discount plan. The plan we chose is just $10 a mo. and we had to change dentist, but it saves us about 50% on most dental work. We have used it for 2 yrs and am forever greatful!!!