Dental Care & The Economy“Many can not afford expensive trips to the dentist.”
Featured Tip“Teeth whitening can be done at home, saving you money.”
Dental Savings Plans: Helping The Unemployed and Self Employed
As part of a new series: "Dental Care and the Recession" we examine dental care tips for during the recession.
Mark's research enabled him to obtain the dental work he desperately needed.
T he recession knows no demographic boundaries. Mark, an unemployed software engineer – turned entrepreneur recently became one of the uninsured. Mark knew that he had to seek out medical and dental insurance, but did not have thousands or even hundred of dollars to spend on traditional plans. He has no known health problems, and is a bachelor, so he feels that he can put off full blown medical insurance for a year or two. At 25, Mark’s main concern was his dental insurance. His new business venture made his appearance even more important than ever, and he wanted to keep up on his oral hygiene and dental visits. So, using his entrepreneurial spirit and a few clicks, he found what at first appeared to good to be true – dental plans for less than $20 per month. When Mark saw that these plans waived all preexisting conditions, he had to investigate further.
Mark signed up for a plan from DentalPlans.com. He purchased an entire year of dental coverage for about $120.
Mark: “I’m just a guy out there trying to get by and save money like everyone else. I couldn’t afford full blown dental insurance, and then I found these dental plans that have just as much coverage as the major carriers – but for a fraction of the cost. I thought it was too good to be true.”
Mark’s story of how he found himself without dental coverage is familiar to many:
You know, my dad always said to work hard and to play hard. I have worked hard since I graduated from college but I still found myself unemployed and uninsured. I am only 25, and I knew that my teeth had to last me a long time. I didn’t want to waste the benefits of all of my previous trips to the dentist by not continuing a dental care regimen. When I launched my own business, I became even more concerned about the well being of my teeth.
Another thing I considered was the preexisting conditions clauses. There simply are none with these dental savings plans. I had a cracked tooth from an old sports injury and even if I would have found a new 9 to 5 job, their insurance would not have covered the tooth repair because it occurred before my coverage started.
Mark: “I needed a crown and a cleaning. My dentist charges $850 for a crown and $120 for a cleaning. For an investment of $120, I was able to immediately save 50%, which comes out to about $435. I would recommend a dental savings plan to anyone in a similar situation as mine. I might even keep this plan if I do get traditional coverage.”
Mark plans on keeping his dental savings plan. With a little research, he was able to immediately save hundreds of dollars.
We asked Mark more about his results:
I wasn’t expecting to find such an affordable plan with good dental coverage. A huge selling point for me was that I was able to immediately save money on my crown and afford to have it done. The dentist I found through their network was very prompt, professional and honest. When I called to set up the appointment, I told them which dental plan I had and that I had purchased it at DentalPlans.com. They immediately recognized the name of my plan and confirmed a 50% savings on all procedures.
Thank you to Mark for this week’s dental care tip. Mark is sharing his story with others. If you’re interested in getting dental coverage like Mark’s was, we’ve provided the link to the dental plans that he found below.
Would you like to share a consumer tip for next week’ If so, please send us an email.
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Mark recently discovered how to save hundreds of dollars on dental procedures with a dental savings plan.
With the help of people like him, others will know how to obtain the dental procedures that the so badly need.
Mark's recommended dental plans:
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» Healthy Teeth Tips
1. Avoid sweets! Too much sugar can cause cavities, yellowing of the teeth and other problems. Plus, more than an occasional indulgence is bad for you anyway. Pass on the sweets.
2. Brush morning and night. The dentist tells you to do it for a reason! It's important to scrub those chompers once in the morning and once again before bed.
3. Don't smoke! We understand this is a tough one for many of us, but it's important for your teeth and important for your body. It can be tough to quit, but the rewards are well worth it.
4. Try to minimize coffee consumption. We're not telling you to kick your daily cup of coffee--just advising that you might want to reconsider cups 3, 4 and 5. For your teeth's sake.
5. Floss! Often times small pieces of food are trapped between your teeth and manage to evade the truth brush. Pick these off with some good dental floss.
These plans will save you money. You generally end up paying about the same fees as you would with traditional insurance.
I just signed up for the Aetna dental care plan. I need to get a cavity filled. Wish me luck!
Maybe someday we will have some kind of universal dental insurance. Until then, it’s dental savings plans for me!