Affordable Dental Options: Individual Dental Plans and PPOs

By Bryant P.
Published Apr 07 2010

Are you looking for insurance coverage for your family? The downturn in the economy is leading many companies to drop employer-offered coverage – your dental coverage may be at risk.

If this has happened to your company, you may want to ask your HR director, your local dentist, or friends in your community for suggestions on what type of affordable plan to look for. They may suggest looking into PPO plans and discount plans – often the most affordable dental coverage options.

A lot of different companies sell similar coverage, yet often at different rates. Coverage can often be purchased through an agent office of some type, either through a local insurance agent office or online. You may want to meet with a few insurance agents to see what coverage they may recommend – but the best way to find affordable dental coverage is usually to start your own search online.

A lot of indemnity PPOs are very expensive each month. Some insurances can be over $1000 a year for a family, a cost which is difficult to manage on a tight family budget. (Many families want to pay approximately half that price at most.) A rate of nearly $100 a month is truly not an affordable dental option for families, and you and your friends may not be able to spend the corresponding monthly rate on PPO individual dental plans.

Individual dental plans and insurance policies can vary dramatically in price. When exploring different plans and insurances, you may come across individual discount plans as well. You will find that these plans are actually much less than indemnity PPO plans. Many discount plans are as low as $7 a month, or $15-30 per month for a family!

There are many different types of individual plans on the market, and each one may have different strengths. PPOs may offer have good savings, but bear in mind that these savings are balanced with waiting periods for anything other than preventative care, and that dependents usually have to wait longer than the plan's primary for dentistry work.

As you explore your coverage options, you will discover that discount plans have much lower monthly rates than PPOs, and that they can cut your dental bill approximately in half! Also remember that discount plans begin immediately or within the first week of enrollment. As long as you visit an office in network, it is possible to receive helpful, affordable dental benefits with individual plans.