Private dentistry can be expensive especially for those patients that need regular dental treatment. Dental Insurance provides access for patients that wish to have high quality private treatment without the high cost.

There are many dental insurance plans available on the market. Generally, insurance plans cover the cost of dental examinations, hygiene treatment and a partial cover of the cost of private dental treatment.

 

 

Types of Dental Insurance plans:

 

1. Capitation Schemes

With these schemes you pay a set fee each month and usually you also pay for lab fees (e.g. crowns, denture, splints, bridges). You will have to be seen by a capitation scheme dentist before you can join these schemes and you will have to be dentally fit before you can join the scheme.

The disadvantage of this type of insurance is that you are restricted to only receiving treatment from dentists who have signed up to that particular capitation scheme. Also specialist treatment by a gum specialist or a root canal specialist or an oral surgeon is not covered by these capitation schemes.

The cost of capitation schemes varies from patient to patient and is usually based on the dental work you have already have had done in the past and an anticipation of the work that you may need in the future. So if you have suffered from gum disease in the past and have many fillings in your mouth and likely to need 3 monthly hygiene treatment in future, your capitation premium are likely to be higher.

 

2. Maintenance plans

These plans give you cover for two dental examinations & hygiene treatments every year. For treatment you will usually receive 10% discount from the dentists fee guide. There is usually an initial signing up fee to join these plans.

This type of basic plan is usually most suitable for people who feel that their dental status is stable and unlikely to need much treatment other than regular checkups and hygiene.

 

3. Comprehensive Dental Insurance Plans

These plans usually charge a fixed monthly fee and provide 2 checkups and hygiene treatments per years as well as giving you ~50% discount on the cost of dental treatment up to a yearly maximum limit of around £1000.

Comprehensive dental insurance plans usually cover dental emergencies. When you undergo treatment you pay the dentist who carried out the work wherever in the UK that maybe, and then send a claim form along with your receipt to the insurance company to claim back the fee paid.

Many comprehensive dental insurance plans set maximum limits on the amount of money that can be claimed for any particular treatment, as well as a maximum limit for the total amount payable for treatment during a full year.

Most comprehensive insurance plans will require you to enroll on a comprehensive dental plan for at least 3 months before claiming expenses, but this differs according to the insurer.