Dental insurance: Protecting against toothache and unexpected costs
Dental Insurance: Open wide
Dental insurance, or dental plans, can be bought via your dentist or through independent insurers.
By paying a monthly or annual sum you can guarantee all treatments, emergency procedures and routine check-ups on your oral health are paid for. It can be highly convenient if you unexpectedly get toothache and require expensive work to ease the pain.
Rising costs of private dental care combined with the fact NHS dentists are becoming scarce mean insurance is becoming an increasingly smart investment – particularly if you are prone to tooth problems.
The average policy will cover:
- Routine treatments
such as check-ups by your dentist and cleaning from a hygienist. - Dental emergencies
such as treatment for acute pain or swelling. - Surgeon's fees
which might result from an accident where the mouth is harmed. - Follow-up treatment
required after an accident. - Treatment for diseases.
Reasons to have dental insurance
Gone are the days when you could just pop into your local dental practice to get a crown fixed for a nominal amount courtesy of the NHS. The majority of dentists are private and costs of even the most basic check-up can be crippling to the monthly budget. Even if you manage to find an NHS practice most people will still have to pay for treatment.
Really bad toothache can be as excruciatingly painful as a sprained ankle. But while a doctor will prescribe you tablets and fix-up your ankle for free on the NHS, the same cannot be said for persistent toothache. Therefore the only option is to go to a dentist and fork out an, often unexpected, hefty payment for treatment. Having insurance means the cost will be covered and your budget intact.
How to buy dental insurance
You can pick up a dental insurance plan from your dentist's practice. These are known as capitation plans and require a monthly payment. Unlike traditional dental insurance, they require you to undergo a check-up which will "rate" your teeth.
Premiums will then be calculated based on your dental health. You can get budget plans which just cover the basics, including check-ups.
There are many insurers out there who provide independent policies for dental care. These are often cheaper than dental plans offered at your dentist. Once you have received treatment you pay your dentist directly, then claim the costs back from the insurance company. Retailers such as Boots and Tesco provide insurance deals as do specialist insurers such as Decover. It's best to shop around for the best deals and also use price comparison sites which can give you snapshot of the market.
Pitfalls
Many policies require you pay an excess, an initial sum towards the cost of your treatment, so it's worth checking how much this is and whether – based on your current oral health – this would cost more than any potential treatment.
The cost of private dental treatment gets higher as people get older. Check whether your premiums will rise with age.
If you are pregnant or on benefits treatment is entirely free with the NHS, so it's not worth buying a policy if you are happy with your NHS dentist and don't want to go private.