My Insurance Isn’t Covering My Dental Work. Now What?

Working with insurance is never fun, but it is a necessary evil to make sure a dental patient doesn’t go ahead with a procedure without knowing for sure whether dental coverage will handle the bulk of the expense. Patients ask us all the time, “Does insurance cover teeth filling?” or “Does health insurance cover dental bonding?” and our answer is the same every time: It depends.

There are, of course, several reasons why dental insurance may not cover a procedure. For example, your insurance may have a high deductible, or you may want a procedure that your insurance won’t cover at all. We understand and appreciate the headaches that can come with trying to get insurance to pay for your dental work, but just keep in mind that Jamestowne South Dental has easy solutions available for those who can’t seem to find relief from their insurance agency.

What to Do if Coverage is Denied or Falls Short

There are several reasons why your coverage may fall short. The most common of these reasons include:

  • Your dental plan has a deductible
  • Your dental plan doesn’t cover 100% of the work you need
  • You have already hit your annual maximum for dental coverage but still require further treatment
  • Your treatment flat-out isn’t covered by your plan

What can one do to avoid having to pay massive bills? Unfortunately, in some cases, the bill is just going to be the bill, but we do have a few tips to help you pay as little as possible.

For starters, when it comes to a big procedure, always check with your insurance before having the procedure done. It’s never safe to just assume that everything will be covered because you have a dental plan. Certain cosmetic procedures are not covered by insurance, and you can avoid expensive surprises by doing your research ahead of time.

Furthermore, try to focus on in-network dentists to be sure your dental work is covered. We also recommend keeping up preventative care appointments because those twice-a-year cleanings are precisely the sort of thing that prevents larger, pricier procedures in the first place.

Consider Jamestowne South Dental’s In-House Dental Insurance Plan

For those who don’t have dental insurance or whose dental plan just isn’t getting the job done, Jamestowne South Dental does offer an in-house dental plan that makes it easier to keep your teeth clean and healthy while keeping the price predictable. Here’s a look at what these plans provide for adults:

  • 1x comprehensive exam or 2x annual exams
  • 2x cleanings or 1x periodontal maintenance cleaning
  • 1x oral cancer screening
  • 1x fluoride tooth desensitizing treatments
  • 1x set of bitewing x-rays or 1x full mouth series x-rays
  • 15% off extra cleanings, periodontal maintenance, dental sealants, fillings, core buildups, oral surgery (excluding dental implants), crows, and root canals
  • 5% of dental implant services
  • $299/per year.

We also offer a comparable children’s plan for $245/year. The in-house option eliminates some of those big insurance surprises and ensures you don’t necessarily have to rely on dental insurance to cover all your bases.

If you would like to talk more about how our in-house plan compares to your current dental coverage, feel free to give us a call or set up a consultation. We’ll help you find the best path forward so you don’t end up spending more on your dental care than absolutely necessary.