How likely is it to just get dental insurance from one’s employer? Does one have to get regular health insurance as part of the package to get dental insurance?
I’m aware that it varies from company to company and that may be a reason why there might not be a factual answer except for “YMMV”.
Anecdotal evidence:
I’ve always seen it as a seperate benefits line item
Factual answer:
Most health insurance excludes routine dental care. Restoration due to trauma or TMJ surgury being the only exceptions that come to mind.
Totally irresponsible & out of line remark made by a person NOT licensed for sales of any line of insurance:
Buying dental insurance on your own is almost never worth it. The cost of the insurance meets or exceeds the actual cost of the work you’re likely to need over the course of the year.
Really? I was told by my dentist, who I see on infrequent occaisions, that I need upwards of $2000 in work done on my mouth. Of course for people who only get cleanings once a year or a regular checkup to hear “no cavities, good job” then dental insurance would be prohibitive if not silly.
Dental insurance from your employer is usually totally seperate than regular health insurance and is usually issued through a seperate company. In several companies that I have worked for, you could elect dental insurance but not health insurance if you got that from somewhere else like your spouse’s company. The plans that I have had DO cover routine dental visits such as two checkups and cleanings a year. These are paid in full. For more extensive work, a percentage is paid and you pay the rest (a chart shows the percentage by the type of work involved). This type of dental insurance tends to be cost effective because the employer is footing part of the bill.
Believe you me, people who take good care of thier teeth are glad to pay the insurance premium to get a good cleaning, xrays, and piece of mind. They place a high value on thier dental health are are loathe to here about people who need $2000 worth of dental work done. I should known, I had over $6000 of dental work done the first three years I got decent dental insurance and some people are just horrified to hear my stories. :eek: