For a long time, if you wanted to consistently save on your dental care, you essentially had one option—dental insurance. However, only about 50% of the U.S. has dental coverage either through a private plan or their employer, so does that mean half of the country is paying out of pocket? Not really! Over the last decade, more and more dental practices have started offering in-house membership plans that help patients spend less on dentistry without needing insurance. How do they work, and would one be right for you?
How In-House Dental Plans Work
Every dental practice’s in-house plan has its own unique terms, but there are a few things you’ll see time and time again.
When you sign up, you pay either a monthly or yearly fee, and then you’re immediately able to access your benefits. These often include fully covered checkups and cleanings for the year, an emergency exam, and a flat discount for all sorts of services ranging from crowns and bridges to veneers and teeth whitening that will be automatically applied when you visit.
It’s important to highlight that an in-house plan only works at the specific dental office it comes from. That means you can’t sign up for a plan at Practice A and hope that Practice B will honor the terms.
In-House Dental Plans vs. Dental Insurance
While in-house dental plans seem somewhat similar to dental insurance, there are some distinct differences that make them a better fit for many people:
- Lower cost: Across the board, regardless of region or dental practice, membership plans typically have a lower out-of-pocket expense compared to insurance.
- No waiting periods: With insurance, you can’t use your plan right away. Fortunately, as soon as you pay for an in-house plan, you can start taking advantage of it.
- No claim forms: You won’t have to fill out any paperwork after starting with an in-house plan.
- No maximums: With insurance, there is a cap on how much a policy will pay for care in a given year. That isn’t the case with in-house plans—the savings are literally limitless.
- Fewer restrictions: Dental insurance typically doesn’t help pay for cosmetic services, but in-house plans often do!
- No phone trees: If you ever have an issue with an in-house plan, rather than calling and being put on hold with a massive corporation, you can just contact your local dental office and get things settled quickly.
What Should You Do?
If you’re unable to afford dental insurance, don’t have access through your employer (because you either work for yourself or are retired), or don’t like the options available to you, then an in-house plan might be just what you need.
Thankfully, getting signed up is fairly straightforward. All you have to do is contact a dental practice and let them know you want to. You’ll usually find all the terms for their plan online, and they’ll be more than happy to answer your questions so you can make a confident decision for yourself and your family.
About the Author
Dr. Kassem earned his dental degree at Temple University and has regularly continued his training to provide the most up-to-date services. He’s proud to offer the iSmile Dental Plan so that everyone in Williamstown can enjoy affordable and top-quality dental care no matter their situation. To learn more about this plan, sign up, or ask questions, you can email us at frontdesk@ismiledentalarts.com or call (856) 818-9998.
