Aarp Dental Plans - In Your Local Area

Dental Health Plans and The New Dentistry - A Partnership for Your Health

A world of opportunities for dental health awaits us in the new dentistry. Using the old dentistry, dentists did their best to provide a high quality of service given the state of knowledge, technology, and dental insurance and dental plan at that time.

Through advancements in treatment, research, and the desire of the dental plan to do more and do it better, the new dentistry has emerged. It is based on a foundation with specific characteristics that are of great benefit to us as consumers.

Efficiency

Your time and your resources are valuable to you, and your dentist recognizes this. New treatment techniques, methods and dental plan options have considerably reduced the amount of time that the dental care now takes. The return on your investment in dental health and your dental insurance is excellent.

Comfort

Not only are the dental chairs and the office environments more comfortable and pleasant, improvements in the use of local anesthetics and new equipment provide more comfort than ever before.

Collaboration

The dental relationship is now based on the value that you can derive from your dental team, what you want for your dental future and maximizing your dental insurance plan benefits rather than just on the techniques and procedures your dentist can do. Through dental continuing education, your dentist has the skills and knowledge to help you make decisions for your dental health in a positive and informed way.

Predictability

New materials and advances in treatment provide you with opportunities to maintain your dental health throughout your life. With the innovative cosmetic dentistry and specialized approaches to reclaiming teeth that formally would be lost, your dental insurance plan can help create and maintain teeth and gums.

Predictable treatment, effective prevention methods, and the longevity of treatment are now part of any treatment plan.

Thoroughness

Advances in assessment and diagnosis now enable dentists to make thorough evaluations of your overall dental and oral health. The outcome is a plan for your health that will give you peace of mind, knowing you can have a well-informed plan in place.

Prevention

This characteristic of the new dentistry has received much publicity in recent years. It has been proven over and over again that there are several measures that you can take as a consumer of dental insurance plans to create and maintain your dental health in collaboration with your dental team.

It bears repeating again - flossing and brushing combined with regular dental hygiene checks are your greatest allies in maintaining your teeth and a bright smile.

Precision

The new dentistry utilizes instruments and technologies that are far advanced from what was available even 15 years ago. Both general dentists and specialists have access to technologies that provide precision in diagnosis and treatment. The value for you is higher quality care.

The dental profession and dental insurance industry has established a strong foundation for a pleasant smile and a healthy dental future for all of us. Improvements are continuously being made to this foundation. You can choose to avail yourself of these improvements by asking your dentist, "What can help me to maintain my dental health?" They have the knowledge and the desire to help you.

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.

Managed Dental Plans

"Managed" dental care is a great idea.

However, many dentists strongly feel that it should be "managed" by their patients, for their benefit - instead of by a dental insurance company for its benefit.

If you are covered by a dental insurance plan, and if your employer offers you a range of different programs, the time you spend investigating benefits will be time well spent. Doing so puts your family in control of the quality of dental care you can demand and receive from your dental coverage.

Words can have very different meanings, depending on an individual's point of view. Some low cost dental insurance plans restrict patients to "preferred providers" of dental care. That sounds impressive until you recognize that providers are "preferred" by the insurer, not necessarily by you. And in many cases they're preferred, frankly, because they agree to sell their services at a discounted rate.

Review your own insurance options carefully: some dental plans allow participants to continue receiving optimum care from their current physicians and dentists. Some don't. It's your choice.

The idea of solving dental health problems "at no (or minimal) cost to you" is understandably appealing. But recognize the tradeoff. Simply put, it's "little cost and less choice."

+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.