Aetna Dental Federal - In Your Local Area

Selecting an Affordable Dental Plan for Your Family

What is the best and most affordable family dental insurance plan for me?

Finding a family dentist and an affordable dental plan can be a confusing experience. Although there is no one "best" affordable dental plan, there are some plans that will be better than others for you and your family dental insurance needs. We will try to guide you in simple terms. However, rather than just giving you answers, the best thing we can do is to make sure you are equipped with the right questions.

There are three major things to consider, each with their own unique set of questions. By considering the questions thoroughly, you will arrive at the right and affordable dental plan for you and your family.

• How affordable is the plan (cost of care)?
• How much will it cost me on a monthly basis?
• Should I try to insure just major dental expenses or most of my dental expenses?
• Can I afford a policy that at least covers my children?
• Are there deductibles I must pay before the family or individual dental insurance begins to help cover my costs?
• After I have met the deductible, what part of my costs are paid by the family dental insurance plan?
• If I use dentists outside a plan's network, how much more will I pay to get care?
• How often do I visit the dentist and how much do I have to pay at each visit?
• Does an affordable dental plan include services that match my needs (access of care)?
• What other dental providers are part of the individual or family dental insurance plan?
• Are there enough of the kinds of dentists I want to see?
• Where will I go for care? Are these places near where I work or live?
• Do I need to get permission before I see a dental specialist?
• Are there any limits to how much I must pay in case of a major illness?
• Is the prescription medication which I need covered by the dental insurance plan?
• Have people had good results when covered by a specific, affordable dental insurance plan (quality of care)?
• How do independent government organizations rate the different dental plans?
• What do my friends say about their experience with a specific plan?
• What does my dentist say about their experience with a specific dental plan?

If you consider these elements carefully when choosing a affordable dental insurance plan, you can be assured the best possible outcome.

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.

My Dental Plan: Maximizing the Benefits of Your Dental Plan

The new dentistry brings together a unique complement of skills, knowledge, and capabilities with one primary focus: ensuring your dental health. Working as a team, your dentist and the dental team he or she has assembled wants to recruit you to join them in making sure this focus on new dentistry is maintained you get full value from your dental health plan.

The dental team has two major parts that you may hear referenced during your visits: the "back" and the "front." These terms refer to two very specific functions of your dental team. The front office handles all the administration, scheduling, dental plans, insurance and financial details, and the back office provides the treatment.

Your front office team makes sure you know about scheduling opportunities, handles finances, files with your dental plans and keeps the administrative details under control to provide you efficient services and support. The back office team is thus free to do what they do best: provide the best care and service for you. You'll find the dentist, dental hygienist, and dental assistant ready to assist you during your appointments.

The key component for success of any team is each member's commitment to do their part. As a consumer and team member, your commitment to new dentistry involves three things:

1. Maintaining your commitment to your dental health through regular hygiene appointments and the daily practice of flossing and brushing.
2. Asking questions and getting the essential information you need about your teeth and gums or to understand any treatment plans.
3. Staying open to options and opportunities that the new dentistry offers you by thinking about the information and feedback that your dentist provides you about the status of your dental health and dental plans.

You can maximize the dental plan benefits with the skills and expertise of your dental team by deciding for yourself what kind of relationship you want with your dentist and the dental team and how they can help you achieve a positive outcome for your dental future.

By Brian DesRoches, PhD

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.