Dental vs. Medical Insurance: What You Should Know

Whether it covers your house, your car, or your health, insurance is designed to protect you against large expenses. But have you ever wondered why dental insurance and medical insurance are separate policies? How can they work together to protect your overall wellness? This blog post explains what you should know about the differences between these two types of coverage.

Why Are They Separate?

Today, it is well known that oral health is absolutely essential for overall wellness. However, that understanding is fairly recent. In the past, the health of the teeth and gums were not given much attention by the mainstream medical community. Therefore, dentistry and medicine came to be viewed as separate entities. Unfortunately, there is still often a barrier between these two types of care.

Differences Between Dental and Medical Insurance

There are significant differences between how dental and medical insurance work. The biggest one is that medical insurance aims to protect policyholders against catastrophic expenses. If you ever come down with a major illness, such as cancer, there is a set limit on how much you will have to pay out of pocket. Your insurance should kick in to cover the rest so the hospital receives payment, and you can concentrate on healing.

Dental insurance, on the other hand, completely flips this around. Although dental insurance may completely cover the cost of cleanings and checkups, there is a varying amount of coverage for other services, with an annual maximum benefit. This means that dental plans have an annual limit on how much they will pay out on your behalf within a calendar year. Once you have reached that set amount, all other costs will be your responsibility for the remainder of the year.

How Can You Minimize Out-of-Pocket Expenses?

• Visit your dentist twice a year for a cleaning and checkup. This can prevent expensive procedures by catching problems early. Plus, since good oral health is connected to overall health, your diligence could reduce your overall medical expenses.
• Schedule restorative services ASAP. Minor restorative services cost much less than major services, and receiving prompt treatment after diagnosis can often prevent the need for invasive and costly procedures.
• Find out if there is any overlap. Although rare, there is some overlap between medical and dental insurance. For example, a medical plan might cover certain oral surgery or trauma related procedures. Knowing what is covered under both your dental and medical policies can help you to make wise decisions about how to use your benefits.

Dental and medical insurance are quite different, but they are both important! Learn how your policies work so you can take care of yourself from head to toe.

Meet the Practice

Under the leadership of Dr. Peter J. Colosimo, Shorewood Family Dental offers a broad range of oral health services for our community. We welcome dental insurance, and we are in-network with several popular benefits providers. To learn more about us and how we can help you save money on top-quality dental care, contact us at 414-332-8150.