Are you an employee of a company that offers dental insurance but are least familiar with how

dental insurance works? Olney Dental in Olney, MD wants to make sure you fully

comprehend the benefits associated with each different dental insurance plan and see what

coverage best benefits you, your loved ones and your workplace.

How much do you know about how dental insurance works?

Dental insurance was invented so that insurance companies are responsible for paying a

portion of the costs associated with your routine dental visits and other oral procedures.

There are several types of dental insurance. Your employer will ultimately inform you of what

plan your organization. It is important to know the advantages dental insurance provides

because it helps pay for necessary treatments and, in the long run, can make your routine

dental visits less excruciating.

Dental Preferred Provider Organization Plans

Dental Preferred Provider Organizations (PPO) plans provide coverage for you and your entire

family for Upper Marlboro’s dentist preventive care treatments and basic services. This type of

dental insurance does not require you to have a primary dentist but instead you can select any

tooth cleaning professional in or outside your primary care. PPO plans provide low deductibles

for individuals and their families and cover the costs of basic procedures that include routine

oral exams, teeth cleanings and X-rays. Additionally, some fees associated with placing crowns,

tooth extraction and other more invasive procedures while not fully covered are given a

discounted payment.

Dental Health Maintenance Organization or Prepaid Plans

Dental Health Maintenance Organization (DHMO) plans, also known as prepaid plans, are most

suitable and the most affordable option for individuals and their families. This type of dental

insurance plan insists you must choose and visit one dentist and one dentist. If your dentist

refers you to a specialist, you will need his or her authorization and it may require some extra

cash. Many DHMO plans do not have deductibles but patients must pay a copayment for each

and every visit to their Upper Marlboro dental office. While DHMO plans may have no

copayment for basic services, DHMO dental insurance may not cover additional work by your

primary dentist and for those dentists outside of your specified area you may foot the entire bill if

it is not determined as an emergency procedure.

Fee-for-Service Plans

Fee-for-Service plans are also referred to as indemnity or traditional plans. They can offer the

widest selection of Olney dentists. Similar to PPO plans, this type of dental insurance

requires patients to pay for a certain amount of each service, known as the coinsurance, and

the fee-for-service plan covers the rest. The particular amount of coverage is determined by the

type of service your dentist provides whether it be routine checkup or a more serious procedure

like a root canal or multiple cavity fillings. While indemnity and PPO dental insurance plans

share are similar, there are some differences. While most of your visit with PPO dental

insurance is reimbursed, some procedures with a fee-for-service dental insurance plan require

additional out-of-pocket cash. 

Your Olney Dentist

Call Olney Dental at (301) 250-1057 or contact us online for an appointment. And don’t forget to visit Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, and YouTube to connect with us on social media.