Current Events > is dental insurance worth it? (NY)

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could be wrong, but it seems like out of pocket i would probably pay no more like $100-150. am i right? or can it get higher than that? dental insurance seems really cheap.

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I pay $28 a month for mine.

$100 deductible, $2000 maximum, and the maximum carries over 1 year.

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my fiancee has dental insurance. its like 10 bucks a month.

she got some work done and the site said if you didn't have insurance it would be like 6000 dollars. we paid 1700. i guess thats pretty good but still... 1700.... they could be making those numbers up to begin with i dunno

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100-150.....for what? Like a unit of scaling?

According to the recommended twice-a-year cleanings, that goes for ABOUT $700-800 CAD per year according to the government fee guide. Now I know US dental is way cheaper than the cartel they run up here, but still, 100-150 still seems low.

fun fact: No insurance plan I've ever heard of even covers the recommended every-6-month cleanings. Best I've ever seen is 3 every 2 years. My old company literally had a lifetime limit on dental.....we got 1 cleaning. That's it. For life. Lol.

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Depends if you need a lot of work or not. If you just need a cleaning, not really. But, if you get into an accident or something, that'd be the only other thing.

Naysaspace posted...

100-150.....for what? Like a unit of scaling?

According to the recommended twice-a-year cleanings, that goes for ABOUT $700-800 CAD per year according to the government fee guide. Now I know US dental is way cheaper than the cartel they run up here, but still, 100-150 still seems low.

fun fact: No insurance plan I've ever heard of even covers the recommended every-6-month cleanings. Best I've ever seen is 3 every 2 years. My old company literally had a lifetime limit on dental.....we got 1 cleaning. That's it. For life. Lol.

I didn't think anything in the US would be cheaper than Canada. Interesting.
Cocytus posted...

Depends if you need a lot of work or not. If you just need a cleaning, not really. But, if you get into an accident or something, that'd be the only other thing.

Let's say a filling for a cavity, or a crown if you have a chipped tooth. Those seem like basic procedures.
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Most dental insurance in the US pays up to a cap, then you cover the rest. That cap is based on the service provided, so they might pay $X for a filling, $Y for a root canal, etc. It's the opposite of health insurance. So depending on the procedure you'll be paying quite a bit.

I found out that my dental insurance had a mac benefit that was trash

I throw it all in my HSA now

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Sometimes. It used to be more worth it but it seems all plans nowadays have a cap on them.

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Dental insurance is health insurance. Do not skip it

you need to have your teeth for 80 years, its amazing how many people dont take care of them

Plus you can literally die from dental issues. Dont neglect your teeth

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TheGoldenEel posted...

Dental insurance is health insurance. Do not skip it

you need to have your teeth for 80 years, its amazing how many people dont take care of them

Plus you can literally die from dental issues. Dont neglect your teeth

i dont disagree, i'll admit i have been neglecting my teeth for a while. my teeth dont look horrible but they could be better



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pojr posted...

Let's say a filling for a cavity, or a crown if you have a chipped tooth. Those seem like basic procedures.

Insurance, discount program (if available), or Care Credit, or see if you can make payments.

Definitely recommend it. Cant put a price on having a good smile

TheGoldenEel posted...

Dont neglect your teeth

CRAP i'm screwed.
first it was the food poisoning the past 2 days now that :(.
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treewojima posted...

Most dental insurance in the US pays up to a cap, then you cover the rest. That cap is based on the service provided, so they might pay $X for a filling, $Y for a root canal, etc. It's the opposite of health insurance. So depending on the procedure you'll be paying quite a bit.

i just looked up two dental plans

"Co-payment $36 per visit.
There are no copayments (or additional payments) required after the $350 (individual) or $700 (family - covered pediatric services only) annual maximum out-of-pocket is met."

sounds like the opposite of what you said. i pay up to $350 out of pocket and they cover the rest if its more than $350

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Cpt_Pineapple posted...

dental plan

lisa needs braces

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Absolutely worth it.

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Yes. Essential. Most employers include it.

My dentist doesn't take insurance but my plan reimburses.
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as a general rule, you buy insurance for things you can't afford to replace or pay for. the reason insurance is a thing is because its profitable for the companies that provide it. they are counting on you giving them less than you cost them in the long run.

if you can easily manage the out of pocket expense for the worst case scenario then forego the insurance. this is why i never ever get the insurance on things like a TV and why i carry only liability for my $4000 car. for dental, i carry it because if i have a horrible accident i dont want to be stuck with huge bills, so i'm fine with paying a small fee each month because at the end of the year it's barely more than the cost of 2 cleanings + x-rays.

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