When it comes to paying the cost of dental care, you have options. You can choose dental insurance, something you can get as an individual or through your employer. Or maybe your or your employees’ dental needs are better suited to a dental membership plan.
Dental membership plans explained
Dental membership plans aren’t the same as dental insurance, but they do provide some of the same benefits. These plans involve paying an annual or monthly fee to access a network of dentists who have agreed to provide services at a reduced rate. Members pay the discounted fee directly to the dentist at the time of service and there are no claims to be paid at a later date.
Additionally, in many cases dental membership plans offer other benefits such as interest-free financing, hearing and vision care discounts, and prescription discounts at no additional cost. There’s often no limit on the use of the plan – it can be used as soon as you enroll and as frequently as you need.
Dental membership plans compared to dental insurance
Unlike dental membership plans, dental insurance operates on a traditional model where individuals pay a monthly premium in exchange for coverage. Insurance plans often come with deductibles, copayments or coinsurance percentages, and annual maximums. They typically cover a percentage of the dental treatment costs after the deductible is met.
While there are differences between dental insurance and dental membership plans, both plans operate under a preventive care model. Dental insurance and membership plans are designed to help you prevent health concerns before they start. Both dental insurance and dental membership plans can help detect dental problems before they become severe (and more expensive!).
Annual exams and cleanings, routine X-rays, and fluoride treatments are considered preventive care items that are designed to keep you healthy and happy, and they’re often completely covered for free or at a significant discount with dental insurance, and dental membership plans also provide a highly discounted rate to make preventive care affordable.
How to get dental insurance or dental membership plans in Colorado
Delta Dental of Colorado offers the largest network of dentists in the nation, which gives our members more access to oral health care at discounted rates. Delta Dental of Colorado also offers a dental membership plan that’s available for groups and individuals. It’s called Patient Direct.
Patient direct is also bundled with additional benefits: All Delta Dental Patient Direct members have access to savings on vision and hearing services and products through partnerships with VSP Savings Pass and Yes! Hearing — both of which have industry-leading networks and discounts. Additionally, you can get a prescription savings card through AlphaRX, interest-free payment plans through Paytient, and teledentistry through Teledentistry.com.
For more information on Delta Dental of Colorado Individual and FamilyTM plans, click here. For information on group plans, visit deltadentalco.com. To find an in-network provider in your area, use our search tool.