Private Health Insurance for Dental Treatment: Is it Worth it?

By |2018-12-14T12:59:34+01:00December 14th, 2018|Uncategorised|0 Comments

Many health insurance plans now offer additional insurance for your teeth, covering costs in the event of any dental treatment being required. As with any form of insurance, this often leaves people scratching their heads and questioning whether or not it really is worth it; especially if they consider their teeth to be in good health.

The Advantages of Dental Health Insurance

If you’re unsure whether dental insurance is for you, here’s a few of the benefits of having the extra protection.

  • You’re covered for check-ups, whenever you need them. Medical card holders and PRSI payers are entitled to one annual check-up per year. However, if you are concerned about your teeth for any reason, and want the additional peace of mind that more regular check-ups provide, then this can really help.
  • You don’t pay a penny for expensive treatments. Emergency treatments, such as fillings and root canal surgery, are vitally important. Without them, you may end up losing a tooth, not to mention enduring a lot more pain than necessary. However, they aren’t cheap treatments. Many dental health insurance packages will cover you for emergency treatment, which provides you with welcome security.
  • Protect existing dental work. If you’ve invested in expensive implants or other dental work, you may want to insure them to ensure that you’re covered in the event of them getting damaged in the future.

And the Disadvantages?

  • It’s extra money to pay. Of course, as with any insurance policy, nothing ever comes for free! You’ll have to pay a certain amount each month to ensure you’re covered; which may work out more expensive in the long run if you seldom make a claim.
  • You might not be as covered as you thought… Every insurance policy is different, and regrettably, it’s unlikely that you’ll be covered for every possible tooth or gum complaint. As a result, it’s really important to check exactly what you’re covered for, before agreeing to buy the extra insurance.
  • You may have to wait before receiving payment. It’s likely that you’ll have to pay initially, then make a claim with your insurance company to be reimbursed. This obviously leaves you in a somewhat precarious financial position; as you’ll not only have to find the initial available finances, but you’ll also have to hope that the insurance company doesn’t keep you waiting too long; or worse still, refuse to pay.

The Conclusion?

There’s no right or wrong answer as to whether or not you should invest in dental insurance. Our official recommendation? Check out what’s available; compare prices, and make sure you find out exactly what you’re covered for and what you’re not. It’s also worth asking friends and family, in order to locate the most reliable, trustworthy insurance companies.

However, whether you choose to get insurance or not, it’s never worth compromising the health of your teeth!

Ballincollig Dentist

If you want to book a check-up with your local Ballincollig dentist, simply get in touch with Guiney Dental practice today. Whilst we won’t be able to make the decision for you as to whether or not to have dental insurance, we will be able to check over the condition of your teeth and gums, and let you know if it’s likely that you’ll need any dental treatment in the near future.