Financial information

It is basically a “discount coupon” towards your dental treatment. Unlike medical insurance, which truly “insures” against problems, dental insurance gives you a percentage off of your treatment, up to a very small yearly maximum. Medical insurance doesn’t pay for much until you have met your deductible, and then it pays for almost everything with NO maximum. Dental insurance runs the opposite, paying a fixed percentage until you hit a VERY low maximum, and then you are responsible for the rest. Those maximums also haven’t really changed since dental insurance began in the 1970’s. Most patients still have about a $1500 maximum, just like in 1975. Today, that would be worth nearly $6000!

No, these plans contract with a dentist to provide all or most dental services covered under that company in exchange for a fixed monthly payment per each covered individual. This payment is usually around $3 per month! So, it takes about 3 years for a dentist to get paid enough for ONE check up and cleaning visit! So, how does a dentist make money with these plans?
It’s simple. Don’t have patients come in for check ups or basic problems. Dentists who choose to participate in these plans have little incentive to notify patients for checkups or hope that patients come in only when something begins to hurt because the dentist makes more money if patients “don’t come in regularly.” There is a tendency to skip preventative procedures in exchange for more costly restorative options.
This is NOT how we believe in practicing dentistry!