Dental Insurance Is Broken, Say Two out of Three Dentists
Could Michael Moore’s SICKO Have Been about Dental Insurance?
Is dental insurance just as broken as medical insurance? Two out of three dentists think so. In our most recent survey, 70% of dentists felt it’s clear that the current system is not meeting the dental care needs of many Americans. The other 30% think that it’s not fair to compare dental insurance to health insurance, as the two are very different.
Here are some of our dentist’s comments regarding dental insurance:
- “As bad as it is, it is not nearly as bad as the medical profession.” (California periodontist)
- “Benefits haven’t changed in 35 years. Costs sure have.” (California dentist)
- “Dental insurance companies are professional leeches making their CEOs rich by cheating dentists out of a moderately decent living.” (Massachusetts orthodontist)
- “Dental insurance is wonderful. People who would never attend the dentist now have good care.” (New York dentist)
- “Dental plans are typically nothing more than marketing strategies for insurance companies. If only the patient paid regularly to the dentist what he pays to the insurance company!” (Maryland dental office worker)
- “It is a rip-off.” (California dental implantologist)
- “It’s not insurance, it’s prepaid dental care. Use it or lose it, and it’s simply intended to help defray costs of routine care… Who expects to have insurance for oil changes brake replacement or transmission failure?” (Pennsylvania periodontist)
- “It is not uncommon to go over a patient’s yearly maximum on treatment for only ONE tooth!” (Michigan dentist)
- “The main problem with dental insurance today is the assumption by the insurance companies that dentists cannot be trusted.” (Michigan dentist)
- “Dental insurance hasn’t increased its benefits since 1975.” (Florida dentist)
- “Patients do not know the difference between insurance and benefits. This is what leads to confusion.” (California dentist)
- “I cannot believe what little dental actually does reimburse for services!” (Pennsylvania dental hygienist)
- “With miserly reimbursements and annual limits unchanged in twenty years, it is a joke, not insurance. They make FEMA look saintly!!” (New York dentist)
- Read more dentist comments on dental insurance or post your own below!
Read the complete dental insurance survey results…
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July 27th, 2007 at 6:27 am
When the insurance industry admits to the fact that oral health is related to overall health, maybe then will dental “insurance” be comparable to the coverage of medical insurance. It is about time a DMI (Dental Medical Integration) is considered. Only this approach will help patients realize and understand the importance of following through with treatment, not to mention that the annual maximum will increase.
April 23rd, 2008 at 1:40 pm
Dental Insurance is only useful for cleanings and fillings. Thats it. Theres not much option either. I buy the best upgraded plan offered by my company, the same I do for my health insurance which costs me $500 a month, and I rarely even use it! My family and I are healthy and dont have any conditions that require regular treatment..Thank God for that. However, Some of us need other dental work, such as root canals, which also require Crowns. Not because I dont take care of my teeth, I do, and you could never tell by my smile that I have so many issues with my back teeth, because my teeth are clean, straight and white…However my teeth weaken easily and tend to chip and break. Currently I need two root canals/crowns, and a few fillings. Im already missing 2 molars due to fractures below the gums, which should be replaced by Implants. Oh, did I mention that locals dont work on me and I have to pay out of pocket to be put under General Anesthesia to have this work done. My dental insurance max is $2000 and Im looking at a $12000 + bill just for this work. Its NOT cosmetic…Its not as though Im getting veneers, I either have to suffer with the pain, and end up losing more molars, or I have to take out a LOAN to have my teeth fixed for HEALTH not for vanity. Therefore, its a combination of things….One being Dental Insurance is very substandard for those who need real work done, and the other being that Prices for Dental work is outrageous. Its like working at McDonalds and trying to buy a brand new BMW….Odds are…Its not going to happen. Which is SAD.
May 28th, 2008 at 11:29 am
I recently aquired dental coverage through my job. Aetna’s DMO, which runs me around $35 per pay period. My coverage for certain procedures is supposed to be either 50% or 100%, but the dentists and insurance companies have conspired to offer three different prices: the price charged DMO patients, the cash price, and the inflated price billed to Aetna.
Listen to this shell game. My dentist provider listed fees, but not the cash fee and not the inflated insurance fee. When I reported this obvious fraud to Aetna, their response was, “Yes we cover %100 of ‘Resin three surfaces anterior’ but not ‘white’ resin, and that’s why you’re being charged $117 per resin, you idiot.”
If these b_____d’s were required to have clearly posted fees, like the automobile analogy one of your dentists incorrectly used, then we insured might be treated fairly. I pay good money for my insurance but when I need it, it’s not there for me. I’d be better off paying the ‘cash’ price for services. As it is, I’m seeking a second opinion for the treatment I need.