Understanding insurance can be complicated. Understanding dental insurance is no different. Fewer people have it when compared to medical insurance, and some specific rules and parameters differ from other kinds of insurance. Moreover, not all dental practices accept all types of dental insurance (similar to medical practices), which can make the dental insurance landscape more complicated. 

Does Your Dentist Take Your Dental Insurance?

The simplest way to determine if a dental practice accepts your insurance is to ask them. Check their website, call the office, check your dental insurance provider client portal, or speak to your dental front office to find out. If they do not accept your insurance, you’ll know you will pay for any and all services out of pocket. If the dental practice accepts your insurance, you’ll want to know what is covered.

Most dental insurance covers part or all of things like:

• routine cleanings & dental visits
• dental X-rays
• orthodontics like Invisalign (in some cases)
• cavity repairs & fillings
• tooth extraction (in some cases)
• root canals
• oral surgery
• some other preventative dental procedures (insurance provider dependent) 
• some restorative dental procedures (insurance provider dependent) 

Typically, dental insurance will only cover a portion of most dental procedures instead of all of the cost. 

Dental Insurance Plan Limitations

Every insurance plan has a cap (maximum) on what the insurance company is willing to pay within a plan year. That cap is often low, considering the costs of most dental work. Roughly half of the Preferred Provider Organizations (PPO, a network) in the USA have a limitation set at $1,500 per year for complete dental coverage. This means that you, the patient, will pay every dollar your dental procedures cost more than $1,500.  

It may seem like a high number, but when you look at the cost of procedures like root canals or dental implant surgery, patients can exceed that limit rather quickly. Knowing your plan will help you budget your dental expenses over a year. Some insurance plans are higher, up to $2,500.

Also, many Americans “leave money on the table” year of year. Let’s say you have a limit of $1,500 per year that you’re paying for via insurance. But you only go to the dentist once for a cleaning that costs $200. This means you have left $1,300 “on the table.” This is essentially throwing away money you’ve already paid through insurance premiums. Knowing when your plan year begins and ends is valuable and how much of the allotment you have used is helpful. If you still have unused dental money, get to the dentist and get the cleaning and whitening procedure you’ve been putting off. 

What Insurance Does Coney Island Dental Take?

We are a PPO with some of the country’s most popular and beneficial dental insurance programs. Our preferred insurances include:

• Delta
• Cigna
• Metlife
• Etna
• GHI

We also work with other insurance providers not listed here, so be sure to reach out. Financing is also available for specific dental procedures like bridges or dental implants.

For the Best Coney Island Dentist, look no further than right here at ConeyIslandDental.com, with over 40 years of local expertise. We work with most insurance, so let’s schedule your upcoming visit today.