Dental Insurance Deductibles: What You Need to Know

If you want to get the most out of your dental insurance, you need to make sure that you fully understand every aspect of your plan. When reviewing your policy, you may find that your insurance comes with something called a deductible. What exactly is this, and how will it affect the amount you pay out of pocket for dental care? Your dentist is here to explain what you need to know.

What is a Deductible?

With dental insurance, the deductible is the amount that you need to pay out of your own pocket before your insurance company pays anything for your care. You will be required to meet your deductible on an annual basis; once you do, you won’t have to worry about it again until your plan resets.

Bear in mind that the deductible is separate from your insurance premiums. The deductible is part of what you pay for the dental services you receive. In contrast, the premium is paid to your insurance company monthly so that you can stay enrolled with your current plan.

Do You Always Need to Meet a Deductible to Receive Coverage?

It’s worth noting that your dental insurance company may be willing to waive the deductible for certain services. Specifically, preventive services such as routine checkups and cleanings are often fully covered regardless of whether you’ve met your deductible for the year. This means you may not even have to worry about your deductible if you only need to see your dentist for your regular biannual appointments.

Of course, not all dental insurance plans are exactly the same. It may be worth reaching out to your insurance carrier to double-check how your deductible works.

How are Family Deductibles Different From Individual Deductibles?

If you have a dental insurance plan for the entire family, there will be two kinds of deductibles: the family deductible and the individual deductibles. Each member of your family covered under the plan will have their own deductible, all of which contribute to meeting the overall family deductible.

Suppose that you have a family deductible of $150 while each member of your insurance plan has an individual deductible of $50. Once three people meet their individual deductibles, the family deductible will be satisfied. This will allow the remaining members to take full advantage of their insurance coverage without needing to reach their individual deductibles first.

Do you feel like you have a better grasp on how your dental insurance works? You can always let the team members at your dentist’s office know if you have any questions regarding your deductible or other aspects of your plan.

About the Practice

At Anderson Dental Center, you can enjoy excellent dental care thanks to the highly qualified dentists and specialists who make up our team. We offer a comprehensive menu of high-quality dental services to our patients in Hackensack, and we’re proud to be in-network with many popular insurance plans such as Delta Dental and MetLife. To schedule a consultation with us, visit our website or call (201) 546-7435.